Renzie Baluyut Online

50 Ways to Help the Planet

2011-04-07T01:33:00.002+08:00

Earth Hour 2011 was just a couple of weeks back, and while there was a lot of buzz about saving the environment on March 26 itself, it seems to me that we need to get the whole "Let's-Save-The-Environment" mindset to the level of a lifetime commitment.

And no, you don't have to do grandiose things, like organizing charities to save the Earth, or putting together marathons or something. It's really the little things that count.

So here's an interesting website I checked out today, thanks to a link shared on Facebook. Check it out, you might actually reconsider a few new habits with this.

50 Ways to Help the Planet

Kudos to the guys of Wine & Twine for a very informative piece online. Well done, guys!

Renzie Returns to Renzie Baluyut Online

2009-12-26T08:53:00.004+08:00

great to be back here on the blog that started it all, with Renzie Baluyut.

Wow. My last post on this blog had been some fifteen months ago. Has it really been that long? Actually, now that I realize it, it's more like- holy shit, I can't believe I've left this blog idle for so damn long!

At any rate, it's great to be back. So much has happened since then, and in a way, this makes for a great opportunity to look back on the year that was. Well, fifteen months exactly, as far as this particular blog is concerned.

So what's new? What's been going on with me since then? Let me get into that in a bit. Here are a few things I've realized though, just this year.

1. Well, for starters, I've come to the conclusion that whatever it is I end up doing, I'm very much a marketing guy. I acknowledged that fact just a few months back- everything I get myself into is really all about marketing.

It started out from my days in radio, yes. But since then, that passion for marketing has spilled into my blogging, social media usage, my freelance work, my consultancy projects- and even in the various business ventures I've been recently involved in.

And it's both traditional marketing *and* internet marketing. I still believe that proper (read: effective) marketing is really in the way you put together the best possible marketing mix. Not just using one channel to the exclusion of all else.

2. I've embraced the entrepreneurial lifestyle. I've gone from employed to freelancer to work-at-home, and finally as a business owner/business partner. There's a totally different state of mind unique to each one- but I'm most comfortable working for myself.

I don't mind putting in all the hours of work beyond the normal 8-hour workday, as long as I know that all that effort goes into my own thing rather than somebody else's company. I love the whole sense of ownership, the challenges that come with it, and knowing that in the end, you are rewarded for all the hard work you put in.

3. I gotta think about the future. Yes, I have to have a grand strategy approach- knowing exactly where I want to be in, say, 5 or 10 years, and working towards it. With that, is the constant need to build myself up- a mix of brand-building, productivity and work/life balance.

Hey man, I'm in my mid-30's, and not only do I have this pressing need to get the most out of my remaining good years, I also have this little voice inside of me nudging me on to get things done and have something to show for it. The push, I'd say, generally does me good. Keeps me on my toes, it gives me a sense of urgency, and in the end, it's really for my personal betterment.

On my next post, I'll be going through all the awesome stuff I've been going through this whole year. Until then.

Cheers, everyone!

7 Websites For Finding Property in the Philippines

2009-08-06T19:53:00.000+08:00

Philippine real estate online, with Renzie Baluyut.

As a relative newcomer in the Philippine real estate circle (yes, I'm a noob.), research plays an important part in my development.

The internet holds so much free and reliable information on just about anything, including properties in Metro Manila, as well as all over the Philippines.

You have all sorts of Philippine properties online as well- houses and lots, condominiums, apartments, foreclosed properties, beachfront properties, gated communities, office spaces, commercial properties and buildings of all kinds, even club memberships, and vacation resort memberships.

Personally, I'm in the market for a couple of Metro Manila properties. I'd have to go for something rent-to-own, rather than something just for rent, or for sale, but that's just my preference.

Let me share with you seven websites that have a fairly good selection of properties for rent, sale, or for lease not only in Metro Manila, but also in other parts of the country:

AyosDito.ph. AyosDito.ph sells all kinds of things, from cars, to personal effects, to even gadgets and electronics. Of course, they have a fairly extensive listing of properties in the Philippines, organized according to region, so you can browse through all kinds of condos, apartments and houses depending on what province you're going for.

MoveInTheCity.com. While MoveInTheCity.com seems more like a directory for transients and all sorts of accomodations and rooms for rent, it also has a good listing of all kinds of properties, not just in Metro Manila, but in other key cities around the country including Cebu, Baguio, Davao, etc.

Sulit.com.ph. Sulit.com.ph is another free online classified ads site for the Philippine market. What I do like about the site is that it keeps track of the ads you have recently browsed through so you can easily come back to them on your next visit.

Classifiedsph.com. Another free online ads service. I haven't personally had the chance to browse through this site yet, but right off the bat, you could see the most recent ads put up, from property to concert tickets, to vehicles for sale- pretty much everything you can expect to see in a classified ads service.

FindProperty.ph. On the plus side, everything on FindProperty.ph is all real estate- apartments, houses, condominiums, commercial properties, etc. You can easily navigate properties by location, if you're either buying or selling, or if you're even looking for timeshares or foreclosed properties.

Bahay.ph. Aside from being the real estate-oriented free online classifieds, bahay.ph also puts the spotlight on real estate agents and brokers. You can even leave messages for these agents and brokers, if that's the way you want to play.

iProperty.com.ph. Another online directory for real estate agents and brokers and all kinds of Philippine properties. It has a listing of the most popular properties, as well as the most sought after agents and brokers, on top of the usual most recent listings, quick location searches, and others.

Do you have your own favorite Philippine real estate websites as well? Please, do share.

Our next post will be top-of-mind real estate developers in the Philippines and Metro Manila.

Cheers, everyone!

Where The Money Is: A CNNMoney Special Report

2009-07-30T22:02:00.000+08:00

this blog post was originally published as "20 US Towns With The Most Money" on another blog of mine: Keyboard Monkeys | Tips, Tricks and Advice for the Digital Entrepreneur. Real estate, I believe is an industry entrepreneurs aspire to, regardless of background. In fact, it was this very post that inspired me to set up this blog, Terra Est Nostri | Renzie on Real Estate.

CNNMoney.com just released an article on 6-Figure Towns in the United States, and while there are quite a number of these town on the list, we're featuring a quick look at the top twenty on that list.

Clicking on each individual town or city brings you to that town's page on the special report, which gives you an overview, a list of key industries and key occupations in that particular town, and links to an interactive map and even more town data if you're interested.

1. Holmdel, NJ
Population: 16,500
Median family income (per year): $159,633
Median home price: $600,000
image courtesy of the PNC Bank Arts Center

2. Southborough, MA
Population: 9,880
Median family income (per year): $148,297
Median home price: $455,000

3. North Potomac, MD
Population: 24,909
Median family income (per year): $147,594
Median home price: $550,000

4. Redding, CT
Population: 9,365
Median family income (per year): $141,609
Median home price: $625,000*.

5. Western Springs, IL
Population: 12,629
Median family income (per year): $139,758
Median home price: $513,500
image courtesy of the City of Western Springs.

6. Hockessin, DE
Population: 13,772
Median family income (per year): $137,998
Median home price: $408,000

7. Hermosa Beach, CA
Population: 19,414
Median family income (per year): $137,941
Median home price: $1,135,000

8. Lone Tree, CO
Population: 9,159
Median family income (per year): $137,310
Median home price: $435,000

9. Sammamish, WA
Population: 35,242
Median family income (per year): $137,137
Median home price: $610,000
image courtesy of the City of Sammamish.

10. Birmingham, MI
Population: 19,040
Median family income (per year): $135,426
Median home price: $256,869

11. Chantilly, VA
Population: 46,708
Median family income (per year): $132,603
Median home price: $360,425

12. Greenburgh, NY
Population: 90,178
Median family income (per year): $131,619
Median home price: $575,000

13. Franklin Park, PA
Population: 12,023
Median family income (per year): $123,139
Median home price: $273,000
image courtesy of Franklin Park Borough.

14. Chanhassen, MN
Population: 23,720
Median family income (per year): $122,609
Median home price: $288,830

15. Plano, TX
Population: 260,796
Median family income (per year): $121,988
Median home price: $201,842

16. Johnston, IA
Population: 15,261
Median family income (per year): $120,776
Median home price: $208,000

17. Lake Oswego, OR
Population: 36,698
Median family income (per year): $119,630
Median home price: $456,250
image courtesy of the City of Lake Oswego

18. Morrisville, NC
Population: 13,361
Median family income (per year): $118,545
Median home price: $263,000

19. Alpharetta, GA
Population: 49,662
Median family income (per year): $117,002
Median home price: $297,450

20. Montgomery, OH
Population: 10,210
Median family income (per year): $116,871
Median home price: $254,000*

Other towns in CNN's list of 6-Figure Towns: Ponte Vedra, FL, Whitefish Bay, WI, Hanover, NH, Kailua, HI, Granger, IN, Overland Park, KS, Holladay, UT and Edgewood, KY.

This has been a special report from the editors of Money Magazine, courtesy of the good people over at CNN.com.

Cheers, everyone.

Microtel Inn & Suites Cavite

2008-10-14T07:50:00.000+08:00

Microtel Inn & Suites is a budget hotel chain with locations in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Argentina, Mexico and Honduras.

It is said that a stay in any Microtel facility is equal to a stay in any other Microtel Inn & Suites, as the hotel chain sticks to the international standards of quality while ensuring affordability.

The Microtel Inn & Suites Cavite has 57 rooms, and provides an ideal setting that combines comfort, privacy and a convenient location at great value.

The Gateway Business Park/ Special Economic Zone and the First Cavite Industrial Estate are conveniently nearby, making the hotel a perfect place for travelers with business affairs in the area.

One of the best things about the Microtel Inn & Suites Cavite is that the hotel is located within the 700-hectare Eagle Ridge Golf and Residential Estates- which has four championship golf courses for your enjoyment. The courses have been designed by Isao Aoki, Andy Dye, Nick Faldo and Greg Norman.

The hotel does not have in-house dining facilities, but there are many restaurants and bars nearby, which are easily accessible from the hotel.

Other amenities, facilities and services include wi-fi internet connection at the lobby and a business center, which may be used for a minimal fee.

Average year-round price is US$41 per room-night. Other Microtel Inn & Suites locations include Baguio, Batangas, Boracay, Davao and Tarlac.

Microtel Inn & Suites
Eagle Ridge, Cavite, Philippines
(632) 671.7171
http://www.microtel-cavite.com

Other Sources:
http://www.travelmart.net
http://www.tripadvisor.com

Cheers, everyone!

Red Box: Singing to the Tune of Global Karaoke Entertainment

2008-10-09T08:31:00.001+08:00

from the personal travel notes of Renzie Baluyut.

Red Box has always been my first choice when it comes to great karaoke here in Metro Manila. It's comfortable, it's got a huge selection of songs, they got good food and drinks, and you can do so much more than just karaoke.

In fact, when family and friends fly in from out-of-town, one of the places I take them to at first opportunity is Red Box, and spend several hours singing our lungs out, playing billiards, or even going for a round of Nintendo Wii.

Here's something on Red Box from the official press kit I got a few days ago:

Only an international entertainment hub would understand that more than just getting a perfect score, true karaoke is a multi-sensory experience.

This is especially true in the Philippine karaoke scene where in the past, karaoke bars were viewed as sleazy, noise generating nuisances. Several attempts to make karaoke a more palatable experience popped left and right, but none gave the discerning, music-loving market a venue edgy and savvy enough to suit their taste.

But in 2003, Red Box, a leading karaoke bar in Hong Kong and Malaysia, splashed a new color to the metro's karaoke industry, one that exudes global sophistication. Since then, Red Box was able to redefine the concept of the genuine karaoke experience as something that is chic and classy--a destination anchored on the diversity of entertainment options.

“The needs of the Filipino karaoke market have evolved – they became well traveled, more modern, and greatly aware of the options available to them. They put premium on technology, style, and fun. And for a music loving nation whose demands are changing, I believe that Red Box is all of these – a fashionable place for cosmopolitan karaoke experience and more,” says Paolo del Rosario, Marketing Director of Red Box.

A fusion of music, dining, leisure and recreation, Red Box has delighted aspiring singers, food connoisseurs, laid back drinkers, rowdy gamers, and even top notch executives.

Songs to Last the Whole Night Long

Red Box is probably holds the distinction of being a karaoke bar that holds the most extensive song selection in the market today. With approximately 100, 000 songs and music videos that is updated on a weekly basis, enthusiasts can choose from the classic favorites like Frank Sinatra's My Way, to Britney Spears' latest hit, to Regine Velasquez's newest single, defining Red Box is a music oasis where anyone can sing his or her heart out in style.

Drink and Dine the Global Way

Most karaoke bars don't pay much attention to their food and drink offerings. How many times have you gone to a karaoke and ordered the usual sisig along with a conventional beer brand prepared and served in the same way bystanders in a sari-sari store do it?

Red Box's dining experience and menu is at par with the best restaurants in the city. Guided by culinary experts, Red Box offers a delectable selection of gastronomic delights ranging from local, Asian, continental and even vegetarian dishes. It is also the first karaoke bar to open at lunch time, providing metropolitan gourmands additional dining destinations.

To complement the menu, Red Box offers a variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Quench your thirst after an intense song with skillfully prepared cocktail drinks like all time favorites Margarita and Sex on the Beach; top international beer brands like Stella Artois and Corona, and internationally renowned gourmet coffees and teas from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

World Class Leisure and Recreation Haven

Red Box also features a mix of leisure and recreational facilities that adds a sophisticated twist to your karaoke experience. This unique offering also enables you and your family or friends to gather in one place despite of varying interests. Whether you opt to play a game of pool, battle it out on the poker table or simply lounge in the karaoke bar's comfy sofa, Red Box makes sure that nobody will be left out of the fun.

The Hue of International Karaoke Experience

With Red Box's extensive and well thought of services, today’s more sophisticated urbanites can enjoy a karaoke experience that is comparable to how most first class cities in the world enjoy their own. “Before Red Box, the karaoke business has never been taken seriously. Mixing art, technology and a lot of fun, we want our customers to sing, eat, drink, play and lounge in the distinctly global Red Box way,” says Paolo.

Experience a different level of karaoke high. Red Box has branches in Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma. For more information and inquiries, please call 757-6188 or visit www.redbox.com.ph.

Photos and text from the Red Box press kit.

Cheers, everyone.

Vivere at the Richville Regency Suites in Alabang

2008-10-02T08:16:00.000+08:00

From the travel notes of Renzie Baluyut.

Located in Alabang, at the southern tip of Metro Manila, the Vivere at the Richville Regency Suites offers a lovely place to stay for both business and leisure travellers.

The Vivere at the Richville Regency Suites is a 4-star hotel with a wide range of accomodation arrangements- with studios, suites and even 2-bedroom units. Arrangements can be made should you choose to stay for weeks or months at a time, or even a year. Units come with fully equipped kitchenettes and bars making for a more comfortable and enjoyable stay.

• Superior Room (Standard Room) - Floor Area: 34-35 square meters
• Deluxe Suite (One-bedroom Suite) - Floor Area: 38-42 square meters
• Executive Suite (One-bedroom Suite) - Floor Area: 42-44 square meters
• Premiere Suite (One-bedroom Suite) - Floor Area: 59-61 square meters
• Imperial Suite (Two-bedroom Suite) - Floor Area: 72-75 square meters
• Regal Suite (Two-bedroom Suite) - Floor Area: 105 square meters
• Royal Suite (Two-bedroom Suite) - Floor Area: 73 square meters

Guests who have stayed at Vivere at the Richville Regency Suites were very pleased with the staff, praising them for their attentiveness, hospitality and special attention- particularly with guests travelling with children.

Dining facilities of note include the Vivere Skyline located at the 31st floor, which serves buffet breakfast by day and has a magnificent view of the bay and the city, especially at night.

Other amenities, facilities and services include function rooms for banquets and meetings, The Forest Stream Spa, a business center, the Fitness Edge Gym and a playroom for children.

Vivere at the Richville Regency Suites
5102 Bridgeway Ave. Filinvest Corporate City,
Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Philippines
(+632) 771.7777
http://www.viveresuites.com

Other Sources:
http://www.travelmart.net
http://www.tripadvisor.com
http://www.travelsmart.net
http://www.asiarooms.com

Cheers, everyone!

5 Tips on Making an Event for Bloggers

2008-09-16T04:47:00.003+08:00

As more and more businesses make use of buzz marketing to promote their products and services and try to get good word-of-mouth, we get to see all kinds of gimmicks and come-ons.

Some fail dismally in this task- as more educated consumers see right through the more obvious efforts to put pearls on swine. Others cross the ethical borderline, striving to gain positive exposure no matter the cost. And then there are some companies you just can't help but support, solely for the reason that their corporate values naturally align with your own.

Having been a media person for 14 years, and now as a denizen of the local blogosphere, I can say that I've seen all kinds of companies employ all kinds of marketing tactics to get a good review or two out there. Some good, some completely forgettable, and some just downright wrong.

Of course, if your company chooses to make use of new media- blogs, podcasts, social networks, viral videos, etc- as a means to promote your latest line of products and services, you want to be remembered the right way.

I was in a bloggers' event last week, and it made me think about writing the post you're now reading. Let me share with you a few insights I had with that experience.

The Kawayan Cove Experience

Just a few days ago, several bloggers (myself included), headed off for Kawayan Cove in Nasugbu, Batangas. Kawayan Cove is a 68-hectare exclusive seaside residential community, located in Nasugbu, Batangas, a town 2 hours south of Metro Manila famous for its white-sand beaches and resorts. Edge Properties invited some bloggers to come check it out, and you can read the details of our visit on this other post of mine on another blog, The Life & Times of The Renzie Man.

Whether I like it or not, the side of me that's all media-and-marketing can't help but pay attention to how promotional activities- like this particular event for bloggers- unfold and run its course. I've managed a number of similar events in the not-too-distant past, so I have a few observations myself.

Here are some things we learned from our Kawayan Cove visit:

1. Set the expectations straight. Naturally, when we were given the invitation to event, I already had some preconceived notions in my head: is it going to be a sales pitch? Those real estate open house events are usually boring! Wait- blogging about real estate IS boring!

But the invitation explained it all: it's a workshop for bloggers into digital photography. Just so happens it's set in Kawayan Cove. Bring your camera- you'll want to take lots of pictures. Bring extra clothes- you might want to hang by the beach.

The organizers did a pretty good job in setting the expectations straight, and sticking to it. It was pretty much everything they said it was going to be, then they surpassed themselves by executing their plans very well.

2. Preparation is key. In any given event, even your best-laid plans can go awry. In this case, who would've known it would be raining half the day? Nevertheless, there was a Plan B in place- the venue for the talk was moved to a more suitable location (from the ampitheater to the pavillion by Bamboo Beach), there were vehicles on hand to shuttle us from place to place, even sandals for those who didn't bring any.

You have to admire the kind of preparation any company makes to ensure the success of any event. It's all about covering all your bases. And allowing yourself to be flexible when the situation calls for it.

3. Play the part of the gracious host. It's all about creating new connections and encouraging long-term relationships. Make your guests comfortable, encourage mingling with other guests, make yourself available for Q&A's.

In the case of Kawayan Cove, the Puyat family were all there to show us around, share stories and tell us what we needed to know about the property. I'm sure they've done this dozens, maybe hundreds of times, yet there they were, taking time to have a chat with each and every one of us.

The staff of Kawayan Cove was on hand to make sure we were well-attended to. From the welcome drinks, to the hearty lunch prepared for the group, even those nice little moist towels we got after the tour.

All that thoughtfulness and hospitality can only create a positive image of you and your company. For me, it shows how genuinely warm and welcoming the Puyat family is, and also how well Edge Properties trained their personnel. That's always a good thing in my book.

4. Provide lots of venues for interactivity. There were specially prepared food and drink arrangements, just for pictorial purposes, with Anton Diaz (of Our Awesome Planet) going around giving tips and pointers to all the bloggers, and the Puyat family sharing anecdotes about Kawayan Cove's history.

There was more than enough time to take pictures, work on a blog, do a podcast, or even shoot a viral video. Also lots of opportunities to walk around with fellow bloggers to compare notes and get to know them some more.

You want the interactivity because you want to give your bloggers a chance to soak up and appreciate the experience- in every way possible. It's good that they have a good experience about your products and services, and even better that you allow them to process all that information, and consider all aspects of whatever it is your promoting.

5. Content is still king. What makes your event so compellingly different from everybody else's? A promotional event like this gives your company an opportunity to create content relevant to your market. It doesn't have to be forced, nor does it have to be overly elaborate. It only has to be relevant and timely.

With all of Anton's experience as a photographer- he only stuck to what we wanted to hear: Travel and Food Photography for Bloggers. In fact, he only had ten or so slides, yet we already learned so much.

More importantly, we had the chance to put all his tips to practice for the rest of the afternoon as we toured the property. Two birds with one stone: not only do we get to appreciate the majesty of the natural beauty of Kawayan Cove, we also had a newfound appreciation for digital photography.

Bottom line: Make your event a memorable experience. For businesses who wish to tap blogs and bloggers as a means to promote their products, events, ideas or services, what they're really trying to accomplish is to get good online buzz- the kind of word-of-mouth that inspires the bloggers to tell their readers about their experiences, and share something unique about the activity.

As a blogger, The Kawayan Cove event was probably one of the best I've ever been to. I've learned a lot from it, made some new connections, and it gave me a fresh perspective on things (particularly on the topic of real estate, for me!).

As a media-and-marketing person, the activity was well-planned and equally well-executed. Businesses who plan on making use of blogs and bloggers would do well to learn from this exercise.

Cheers, everyone.

A Step-by-step Guide on Writing a Resignation Letter

2008-09-15T04:17:00.003+08:00

I've worked long enough to have seen dozens of resignation letters pass through my hands. Heck, I've written quite a few myself.

When it's time to leave the job you have right now, it's probably in your best interest to leave the company on the best possible terms, even if you feel otherwise.

A resignation letter has to accomplish two simple goals:

It gives your employer a formal (and legal) notice of your intentions to leave the company, and
It gives you an opportunity to make an impression that, yes, you are professional, yes, you are rising above the petty things others might otherwise fall into, and yes, you are respectable.

A resignation letter is not a venue to go emo and vent your frustrations, or air your opinions, wishes and grievances. It has to be concise and straight-to-the-point. That's all there is to it.

How To Write a Resignation Letter

Treat the resignation letter as a standard business letter. First, you have your name, position and department. The date comes next, two lines down after that. After two more lines, put in the name, position and department of your employer. Then two lines more, you can go into your 'Dear Mr. '.
On the first paragraph: State that you are leaving your position, and give the date of the last day you'll be working.
Second paragraph: Thank your employer for the opportunity you had working for them. If you want to, mention colleagues you enjoyed working with, or supervisors you want to thank for mentoring you.
Third paragraph: For your closing statement, wish the company continued success.
After two lines down, type 'Sincerely,' then your name after four lines.
Sign your resignation letter on the space above your name with a flourish.

There you have it. A short and sweet resignation letter. Hope this helps.

Cheers, everyone!

The Linden Suites in Ortigas Center, Pasig City

2008-09-14T11:01:00.000+08:00

I have had the pleasure of staying at The Linden Suites several times in the recent past. Mostly for work-related functions back when I was still working for an FM radio station, but there were a couple of times when I have been able to spend a few days off and just kick back by hanging out here.

The Linden Suites is located right smack in the middle of the Ortigas Center, one of Metro Manila's more progressive business districts, as we've seen more and more outsourcing companies and multinationals setting up shop in the vicinity.

You also have a number of good shopping malls and restaurant strips around the Ortigas Center- more notably, Shangri-la Mall, SM Megamall and Robinsons Galleria- all three of which are along EDSA- and then you have The Podium (along San Miguel Avenue), MetroWalk along (Meralco Avenue), and Tiendesitas just a little bit ways off towards C5. All of these spots are within the general area of Linden Suites, the first three malls being the closest.

The Linden Suites is managed by the Hong Kong-based Swiss Belhotel International group. It has more than 160+ rooms, and you can choose to have a standard room (the Executive room), a one-bedroom suite, two-bedroom suite, or even a penthouse suite if you want to settle into more long-term accommodations.

Personally, I love getting one of the one-bedroom types. You get an adequately comfortable room that also comes with a kitchenette (with pretty much all the utensils you need to whip up a storm if you have to), and a nice little receiving area where you can just chill in front of the TV and catch on up your DVD viewing. Absolutely great if you have guests dropping by, or if you want to keep your family entertained for the weekend.

For me, the Linden Suites makes for an excellent destination for hosting a dinner party, or just relaxing with the family over a long weekend. It's very family-friendly; you can arrange to have baby-sitting services, rent a playstation for the room, or even grocery shopping arrangements if you need an extra hand getting things done with the kids around.

Ideal also for business travelers, the Linden Suites also has a business center with pretty much anything you might need to get some work done- broadband internet, conference rooms, laptops, overhead projectors, and even serviced offices if you might need one while you're in town.

If you need to relax, you can have a massage at the Health Center, or just stew for a while in the sauna, or take a dip in the indoor pool. I had a massage done a couple times myself- you can even choose to get it done in the comfort of your own room if you'd prefer. Just make sure you book well in advance.

As for food, you can ring up some room service, or head on over to the second level, which has the Azzurro Bistro and Bar. Alternately, you can head on out to Ortigas Center to check out the local nightlife, or if you even prefer, get some food delivered to your room from the many restaurants nearby.

I would have to say that The Linden Suites is a great place to stay whether you're traveling with the family, or if you're traveling on business. With the rates that they have, you easily get more for your money given the amenities and services available to you, even compared to a lot of hotels in the Makati or Manila area.

The Linden Suites is located at #37 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center in Pasig City. You can check out their website here. For inquiries and reservations, you might try calling their 24-hour customer service hotline at (+632) 638-7878. AsiaTravel.com has a map to The Linden Suites if you want to go check it out.

Cheers, everyone!

The Bellevue Hotel Manila

2008-09-11T08:00:00.000+08:00

From the Travel notes of Renzie Baluyut.

The Bellevue Hotel Manila is a 5-Star hotel located in Alabang- one of the more upscale and rapidly developing cities at the southern end of Metro Manila.

Mostly catering to business travelers and the occasional medical tourism market, the Bellevue Hotel Manila is conveniently located a short distance away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, two major shopping malls- Festival Mall some 2km away and the Alabang Town Center less than a kilometer away from the hotel.

Also very close by is the Asian Hospital & Medical Center, encouraging other guests to come stay while attending to their executive check-ups or other out-patient medical needs.

The Bellevue Hotel Manila has a free shuttle service to take you to the shopping malls mentioned above, or to the surrounding areas if needed.

The Hotel has some 222 well-appointed rooms and suites:

• Deluxe Room - Floor Area: 33 square meters
• Executive Suite - Floor Area: 61 square meters
• Premier Suite - Floor Area: 91 square meters
• Presidential Suite - Floor Area: 129 square meters

Many guests have praised the Bellevue Hotel Manila's cuisine- as buffet breakfasts are usually included in the accomodation packages. The spread includes a wide selection of food from Filipino, American, Asian and International stations. Buffets are also available for lunch and dinner.

Guests have also recommended the Bellevue Hotel Manila's well-equipped gym, beauty salon and spa.

A point worth mentioning is this: a number of guests have given the hotel high praises for running smoothly even when a category 3 typhoon ("Xangsane"/"Milenyo") hit the city in September 2006. The Bellevue Hotel Manila has power generators that kept it up and running even when the entire Metro Manila was without power for 2-4 days.

Other amenities include a number of function rooms and conference rooms, a business center, a pool on the second floor, a bar on the 20th floor and a pastry shop.

Check out the official website for the virtual tour. Average year-round price is US$182/night.

The Bellevue Hotel Manila
North Bridgeway, Northgate Cyberzone,
Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa
Metro Manila, Philippines 1781
771-8181
www.thebellevue.com

Other Sources:
http://www.travelmart.net
http://www.tripadvisor.com
http://www.asiarooms.com

Cheers, everyone!

How to Write a Wedding Reception Script

2008-08-26T04:27:00.001+08:00

Here's a post that originally came out on another blog of mine, The Life and Times of The Renzie Man. I came up with this post shortly after my brother's wedding last August, and has turned out to be rather helpful, particularly for those who need help in putting together a script for the post-wedding festivities.

So you're about to do emcee work for a wedding reception- how exactly do you come up with a script for an occasion like this?

Putting together a wedding reception script isn't all that hard, really. Bear in mind that as the evening's master of ceremonies, you also have to play the part of a good host, and pretty much fill in everyone on what's going on.

Here are a few tips on writing a wedding reception script.

1. Remember: this is the newlyweds' big night, so the spotlight should really be on them, not on anybody else. Everybody else- family, friends, colleagues- can get their share of the limelight that evening, but special attention must be given to your couple every single time.

2. Get with the Master Plan. Consult with the future husband-and-wife exactly how they want things to happen. If you are to set the tone for the wedding reception, you have to take your cues from them. Sitting down with them will enable you to find out exactly what's important for them:

Would they want it to be done and over with as quickly as possible?
Would they want to have lots of ballroom dancing?
Do they want to incorporate particular wedding traditions on top of, say, the wedding bouquet and garter tosses?
Maybe they want their reception dinner completely untraditional- so what other fun stuff can you think of working in?

Whatever the future husband-and-wife wants, it is your mission to essentially carry out their wishes. After all, it is their night- you want it to be as memorable and magical as possible for the newlyweds, as well as for their friends and relatives.

3. Remember that you're writing a wedding reception script. Which means that once you've worked out the general plan with the couple (and with the wedding planner/s, if need be), you're now off to a PC or a laptop somewhere ready to work your magic.

No need to go verbose and all wordy. Keep it simple, short and sweet. In fact, get straight to the point.

Get a draft prepared well ahead of time, touching all the pertinent events of the reception according to the couple's wishes. Submit the drafts to the couple (and the wedding planner/s, if need be) to get their input. If you've listened well and worked in their needs and wants, then you should do just fine.

4. The usual program flow:

introduction of parents, principal and then secondary sponsors/wedding entourage
introduction of the newlyweds
dinner, as well as accompanying toasts and speeches
traditional ceremonies, wrapped up by garter and bouquet tosses
acknowledgments and thank you's

Modify elements according to how the couple wants their wedding reception done. For example, the bride would probably want a bouquet toss, but something a more out-of-the-ordinary, like tossing out multiple smaller bouquets instead of just one, or incorporating more cultural traditions into the program.

Ask the couple if there would be family members giving speeches or preparing toasts, or even friends who might be singing, dancing or otherwise have something prepared for our newlyweds that evening.

Once you got everything, go right ahead and work those elements right into the script.

5. Get to know a little bit more about the couple's family and friends. One of the more important things- pronouncing names. You'll be introducing members of the wedding entourage, acknowledging the presence of guests who may have flown in from some faraway country, or calling them out for a speech or a toast.

You might know who they are, and your other relatives (or friends) probably also do, but remember that other half of the room might not, so introducing them properly to all guests present would work well for everyone.

If anyone should know how certain names or surnames have to be pronounced, it's the couple. So go ahead and ask questions if you have to. If all else fails, look the person up yourself and ask him/her how to pronounce their name or how they want to be introduced. It's all part of the evening's fun, meeting new people.

6. Make the effort to get the story on the smaller details. Just enough detail to come up with the couple's story.

Maybe you can find out why the bride wanted the motif for the day's affair. Is there a story behind the wedding cake- say, any particular reason why the couple chose this specific design or make? Does the couple have a special song? There's always lots of stories behind songs.

Maybe the couple has a bunch of pictures flashing up on screen- you can use those as well to tell the story of how the couple met, or how he proposed, or some other significant event in their relationship.

Play up the little things that are special to the newlyweds, share their story, and convey that same warm and fuzzy feeling to your guests at the reception. Work those into your script as well.

7. Print out at least three copies of your wedding reception script- one should go to the couple, another to the wedding planner (or program coordinator, or whatever equivalent), and one for you.

As for your copy, you may want to come up with easy-to-use cue cards. You are going to glance at them every now and then, as you go about your hosting duties for the evening, so keep them handy. Also have a pen with you to scribble down notes and maybe some last-minute changes.

8 . Yes, you'll be reading off a script, but you don't have to sound as if you're reading it.

More importantly, you have to sound natural and as real as possible. The guests will be getting their cues from you, so your words have to radiate warmth, confidence and a sense of welcoming, but at the same time, deliver the appropriate level of formality for the affair at hand.

Make eye contact with your guests, inject just a little bit of personality, and be generally pleasant.

9. Even the best-made scripts are just guidelines. There may be some last-minute changes, or some sections you might have to do away with really quickly.

Regardless, you might have to make improvisations and maybe even have to adlib on the fly. Don't forget to get all your cues from the newlyweds- if anything needs to be changed, it has to be on their say, and you must be prepared to do so at a drop of a hat.

Don't worry about it- as long as you stick to the couple's Master Plan (see #2), everything will be just fine.

10. Bear in mind that you're also playing the part of a secondary host, someone who would be welcoming guests and keeping them engaged while the newlyweds are attending to other friends and mandatory photoshoots.

So take ownership of your role in the whole affair. Be cordial, be pleasant, be sensitive to the needs of your guests and of your newlyweds. Almost like hosting a party at home, only with more formal clothing.

There you have it. I hope this helps. I used to do a lot of wedding receptions and hosting gigs- mostly back in my earlier days of radio.

Hosting a wedding reception might be a little taxing, but they are lots of fun. It's a big night, everyone's all dressed up and in a festive mood, made even more memorable by the presence of family and friends- and particularly means so much more to the newlyweds.

Cheers, everyone!

Ten Fun Facts About Singapore

2008-08-18T21:02:00.001+08:00

musings on Travel and Leisure by Renzie Baluyut.

I miss Singapore. My girlfriend Cristina and I flew in for a visit early last year, stayed for about a week, and absolutely loved it there. We're definitely looking forward to visiting again sometime soon.

Since our last trip, we've been reading up quite a bit about Singapore- what to do, where to eat, what other places we could have missed the last time we were there.

Here are a few fun facts about Singapore you probably might want to know.

1. Did you know that Singapore is among the 20 smallest countries in the world?

Singapore has a total land area of only 682.7 square kilometres. That's just slightly larger than the entire of Metro Manila (636 sq.km.). The state of California alone has 400,000+ sq.km.

2. The Merlion, a half-fish, half-lion beast, is a fitting symbol of Singapore.

The "Singa" or lion represents the animal that a Sumatran prince saw which resembled a lion, and the fish is a tribute to Singapore's history as "Temasek", the ancient sea town.

3. Singapore consists only of one main island and 63 other tiny islands. Most of these islands are uninhabited.

4. Apart from Monaco, Singapore is the most densely populated country in the world, with 6,430 people per square kilometre.

5. Singapore is a stopover point for thousands of migratory birds travelling the East Asian Flyway.

6. Despite being largely urbanized, Singapore is the largest exporter of ornamental fish (25% of the world market).

7. Buildings in Singapore cannot be higher than 280 metres. There are presently three buildings of that height: OUB Centre, UOB Plaza and Republic Plaza.

8. The first population census taken in 1824 revealed that the total population was 10,683. The 2000 census showed that the population of Singapore is 4.2 million.

9. Nearly 9 out of 10 Singaporeans live in public housing flats.

10. Russell Lee, a pseudonym for a team of ghost-writers, is the hottest-selling local author in Singapore. His 11 volumes of True Singapore Ghost Stories have sold more than 600,000 copies to date.

So there you have it ladies and gentlemen. Ten fun facts about Singapore, for the next time you visit the Merlion City. For more food and travel tips on Singapore, you could check out the Uniquely Singapore website, or Lonely Planet's very own Guide to Singapore.

Cheers, everyone!

Renzie Visits the Silver Saddle Ranch Resort in Cal City.

2008-07-19T11:28:00.000+08:00

from the Travel & Leisure notes of Renzie Baluyut.

One of the places we visited while I was in the United States was this resort about a couple of hours away from Los Angeles called the Silver Saddle Ranch, in California City.

Mom had some property out by California City, so we drove on out (together with Auntie Flor) to go see how it's going. The property was right smack in the middle of the desert, with hardly any developments going on for quite a stretch of road, though I think things might just pick up in a few years.

The Silver Saddle Ranch is like an oasis getaway of sorts. Right upon entering, you already get the impression that the place was designed with families in mind- you could already notice designated areas for camping, sports, miniature golfing and fishing.

A quick tour of the ranch also revealed an Equestrian Center, an Archery Range, an area for skeet shooting, a tepee village, an RV park (if you brought your own), and a Petting Zoo.

Then there's the hotel area if you don't feel like roughing it- with a nice little lounge, a pool area, a spa, some tennis and basketball courts, and pretty much all the other standard amenities.

All in all, I'd say Silver Saddle Ranch would be great for families looking to have some fun over the weekend, or maybe even couples who'd want some quiet time on their own. Definitely worth coming back, I'd say. Maybe then I could actually write about it more, and put up a whole new set of pics.

The Silver Saddle Ranch & Club is located in the high desert near the foot of the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains.

20751 Aristotle Drive, California City, California, 93505
Tel.: (760) 373.8617 / Fax: (760) 373.5212

Visit the Silver Saddle Ranch Resort website for more information.

Cheers, everyone!

Globe’s Internet Services Disappoint

2008-07-14T01:06:00.000+08:00

When you’re a company that spends millions of pesos on advertising money, positioning yourself as a warm and caring internet service provider, I say you’d better have a customer service culture that’s truly reflective of what you promote, as well as a team that can back up your claims.

As a paying customer, I fork out a regular monthly amount to get a service I should be getting with no worries and no fuss.

Unfortunately, it seems that even satisfactory customer service is too much to ask for these days. So let me share to you my story on how terribly disappointed I am with Globe, and how my Globelines internet sucks right now.

Read the rest of my story here, on The Life and Times of The Renzie Man. Tell me what you think, or even better, share your Globe horror stories for the world to read.

Cheers, everyone!

Renzie on the Canon Digital EOS 400D Rebel XTi

2008-07-11T17:38:00.003+08:00

I picked up this baby a few days upon arriving in Los Angeles. I couldn't help but notice how much cheaper electronics are in the United States (compared to the Philippines), and since I wanted a step up from my old digital camera (which was an Sony 3.1 Megapixel I've had since December 2004), I thought the Canon Digital EOS 400D Rebel XTi would be a good choice for a digital photography amateur like myself.

After all, the reviews on the Canon Rebel XTi had been consistently great. A quick check online would tell a newbie like me that I should consider getting either a Canon, or one of those nice little Nikon cameras. In fact, I even wrote a few posts a couple months back.

In the end, I picked up the Canon Digital EOS 400D Rebel XTi at the Circuit City in Glendale. That, plus a 4Gb CF Card, and a nice little bag to go with it. For the duration of my month-long stay in Los Angeles, the Canon Rebel XTi has always been by my side, and it's one of my new favorite toys.

I've decided to put my amateur photography skills into good use by starting a food and travel blog. It's a work in progress- I'll announce it as soon as it's ready.

My Review of the Canon Digital EOS 400D Rebel XTi

The Canon Rebel XTi is a remarkable camera, and is a great choice for amateur digital photographers like myself looking to venture into more serious photography.

It's an extremely user-friendly camera, as it has a great range of fully automated picture-taking functions, so you can start using the Canon Rebel XTi straight out of the box, with just a quick review of the instruction manual.

(But it's always a prudent thing to read through the whole manual before reallly putting in a lot of play time with your new toy!)

The basic camera already comes with an EF-S 18-55mm - which is really a good all-around lens as it its. Later on, as you get the hang of the Canon Rebel XTi, you could purchase additional lenses for more specialized functions like give you a farther zoom, or the ability to shoot photos in dark or low-light, etc.

As I mentioned, the Canon Digital EOS 400D Rebel XTi has a lot of great fully automated picture-taking functions, with convenient pre-sets that allow you to specific shots with a quick flick of a switch- portraits, landscapes, close-ups, etc. This is really great for beginners, or for those who wouldn't mind letting the camera do all the work- which for me is something I could totally appreciate.

Much later, you could tinker around with the more advanced settings- an area which I have yet to figure out for myself, newbie that I am.

You'll definitely appreciate the Canon Rebel XTi a lot better with just a little more photography know-how- get someone to teach you, or learn from a book or online. With an interface that's easy to use and easy to familiarize yourself with, it's very encouraging for amateurs and beginners to make an effort to get into photography some more, and pick up some new theories, as well as new tricks along the way.

And the later on, you can buy even more additional accessories for your Canon Rebel XTi. Not only would you want a variety of lenses, but you might also want a Speedlite or two, a wireless remote and tripod, maybe even an angle finder and battery magazines much later on, depending on your needs as a photographer.

Thanks to KenRockwell.com for the Canon Rebel XTi photo. Check out his site for some great tips on getting the right camera and taking better pics. You may also want to visit the Digital Photography Review for more on the Canon EOS 400D Digital Rebel XTi, or the tech section on Yahoo!

Cheers, everyone!

Guzzle Less Fuel, Please

2008-06-06T10:20:00.004+08:00

I've only been in LA for a week, and I've observed that, when it comes to gas and fuel consumption, people in Los Angeles worry about it as much as we do back in the Philippines.

Unlike the Philippines, however, there seems to be a more active effort to get people to reduce their daily gas use- there are more hybrid cars like Priuses and Scions in the freeway, I noticed. Working from home and telecommuting are actually encouraged. And the government and local media groups, even private citizen organizations, are doing a more concerted effort in getting everyone else more involved in fuel conservation.

At least that's how I feel. The Philippines has quite a way to go as far as rallying the citizenry to action is concerned.

Fortunately, there are a few companies who have made some bold steps forward.

Take a look at this one particular car manufacturer: Honda launches VCM 643. I appreciate it that Honda Philippines has come up with engines that give consumers that are not only more significantly deliver more power, but also has less emissions and is considerably a lot more fuel-efficient.

The Variable Cylinder Management technology (thus, VCM) developed by Honda is a big deal. According to the website:

The i-VTEC Variable Cylinder Management™ system enables the engine to switch between six, four and three cylinder operation.

While the engine is under light load such as moderate acceleration or steady cruising, it deactivates cylinders #3 and #4 in both front and rear banks, running the engine with the remaining four cylinders.

And during low speed cruising and descending, the #'s 1, 2 and 3 cylinders in the rear bank are deactivated maintaining 3 cylinders running the engine.

This 6-4-3 process improves the overall fuel economy while maintaining the high power output expected from a V6 engine.

It's really not just a good thing- I believe it's mandatory for all companies to take the lead in providing consumers, at the very least, options for more efficient- if not lower- fuel consumption. I feel it's a social responsibility now, and I say to these companies who actually make an effort to do so: keep up the good work, you have my support, and you will have my business.

So here's what I say: use less fuel. Travel less, if it's possible. Carpool whenever you can. Buy locally. If you run a business, encourage telecommuting. Or if you can, work at home altogether. Support companies that make an effort in making fuel consumption more efficient. And tell people all about it.

Cheers, everyone!

Getting Yourself A New PC

2008-05-29T16:36:00.003+08:00

I've always believed that everyone should have a personal computer. Especially if you're into my line of work, a good PC is really more of an investment than anything else.

An up-to-date personal computer boosts your productivity, it's a repository of all things media, it's an entertainment center, and once hooked to the internet with a decent broadband connection, it's great for research, it opens opportunities for you and connects you with a massive online world.

Personally, I get a new PC every two years: mostly to upgrade on hardware so I could play the latest games, and to expand hard disk space to store more media files. This current machine of mine is still alright, since I could still play games like Bioshock and Call of Duty 4 on it.

But since I'm going to be spending a lot more time in Los Angeles, I figured getting a new PC should be a good idea.

How Do You See Yourself Using Your PC?

When figuring out what kind of PC to get, you have to figure out how exactly you plan to use it.

At the very least, you'll want to use it for basic word processing and office work. Doesn't matter if you're using a Microsoft Office or the open-source Open Office. Whether it's for school-work or for office-work, or both, this is what your PC's going to be all about.
Also, as a minimum, you'll want to equip your PC to be able to go online and connect with the internet. Going online gives you access to a massive online library, and allows you to network with just about anyone in the world.
Your PC will also act as a data storage facility. You'll be using it to store pictures, video and music. If you're big on gadgets (like I am), it means you'll be connecting all your digital toys- your mp3 player, mobile phone, digital camcorders, DLSRs, palms- to your PC.
Your PC can act as a home entertainment system. You'll have combo-drives available (which can read CDs/DVDs). Attached to a kick-ass speaker system, you can have a set-up that can actually rival any home theater system.
Your PC might be built around playing games (like mine). This would mean also getting the best possible video card (for better quality graphics), as well as getting more RAM (for better performance), maybe even better processors.
A lot of people use their PC as a desktop publishing suite- and install the latest graphics editing software on it- Photoshop, CorelDraw, Dreamweaver, etc. You'll need some extra hard disk space to store all your projects in.
Others might take it a step further and use their PCs as a digital audio-video editing suite. This is if you're a serious music or video professional, or if you're into podcasting and new media. Again, you'll need more hard disk space to store all your projects in, or at least a variety of removable storage media.

My New PC

As far as my new PC is concerned, it's going to have to fulfill all the seven roles I've enumerated above. This means it's going to have to be a serious piece of machine, ready to handle just about any task thrown at it short of making an omelette.

CPU should be an Intel Core 2 Duo processor
System RAM should be about 2 GB
Video Card should be 100% Direct X 9.0c compliant with 512 RAM, like an NVIDIA GeForce 7900 or better
Sound Card: Sound Blaster X-Fi series, which is optimized for use with Creative Labs EAX Advanced HD 4.0 or 5.0
A lot of hard disk space- at least 300 GB of space, more if possible.
A CD/DVD drive/burner
As many USB ports as possible (at least 4)

You can expect me to look around online for the best possible deals. After I get me a new PC, then I can consider getting myself a new laptop.

Cheers, everyone!

Lessons In Power: Avoid The Unhappy and Unlucky

2008-05-29T04:52:00.004+08:00

Truly happy and successful people have a different aura surrounding them- a kind of infectious yet engaging vibe that makes you want to be in their presence and keep soaking up all that positive energy. You find yourself wanting to know more about them and you'd want to hear their stories, because it has such a profound effect on you.

As for the Unfortunate and the Unlucky? Well, without your knowing it, the effect is pretty much the same- you get sucked into their misery and negativity that you sympathize with them at first, and eventually blame the world for your own misfortunes rather than taking ownership of your situation and being proactive about it.

Law # 10 of The 48 Laws of Power tells us just that:

Avoid The Unhappy and Unlucky.

It's a very important law that has no reversal, no exception to it. No good ever comes out of associating with negative people.

There are basically two kinds of Misfortunates:

Those who were brought down by circumstances beyond their control. Like hurricane victims, for example. These people really need our help, and I say go out of your way to help them, if you can.
And then there are those who draw down misery upon themselves. They're not born into misfortune or unhappiness, it's just that by means of their negative view in life, and consequently their by way of their actions, seem to make the wrong choices, associate with the wrong kind of people, or just otherwise move in a path towards their own self-destruction. These people are the kind you have to avoid. Like the plague.

It's really very easy to let emotions or situations get the better of us. After all, it is human nature that makes us easily react and be affected by moods, emotions and the points of view of those within our immediate circle.

Those who are chronically unhappy, unstable and miserable are definitely worth watching out for. You'll recognize them because they portray themselves as victims of circumstance or victims of the actions of others. At first, you'll find it hard to see their misfortune as self-inflicted- after all, these people are trying to draw you into the whole drama that is their life, by gaining your sympathy and trust.

Unfortunately for us, we sometimes realize it until it's too late.

Remember the story of Lola Montez? How in her lifetime, managed to ruin the lives of several promising young men? Alexandre Dujarier. King Ludwig of Bavaria. George Traffold Heald. Pat Hull. Far more than her attraction or her wiles, the emotional attachment that she brings makes men want to help her out, but are instead sucked into her life drama.

Identifying with Lola Montez meant utter disaster. Heck, King Ludwig was a beloved ruler in Bavaria until his continued association with Montez took his country down the path of riots and the grips of civil war.

Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky.

German artist Joseph Karl-Steiler's portrait of Lola Montez in 1847 appears to the right, courtesy of Wikipedia.

How To Deal With The Unlucky and Unfortunate

Even if you've realized it too late, the only way you can deal with the chronically unhappy and unstable individuals is to make the hard decision to cut them off completely.

Helping them will bring you no good; they will only bring themselves down again, and take you down with them if you don't let go early enough. It's the miserable state of mind that constantly blames others and refuses to see an urgent need for change that keeps them at a center of an emotional vortex that sucks out all that's positive and happy.

As for us, we have to remind ourselves the importance of being proactive. Stay true to your beliefs and values, and don't let things weigh you down. Take stock of the situation, take charge of your own life, and always strive to rise above. Bad things happen to us to test our resolve: we can choose to either we pick up the pieces and move forward, or keep wallowing in a pool of misery and self-pity.

Surround yourself with happy and successful people. Draw upon each other's positive energy, and always do something good, or something productive.

Remember this:

You can die from someone else's misery- emotional states are as infectious as diseases. You may feel you are helping the drowning man but you are only precipitating your own disaster. The unfortunate sometimes draws misfortune on themselves; they will also draw it in you. Associate with the happy and fortunate instead. - Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power

I've always been a huge fan of The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. Lessons In Power is a special feature in my blog, Renzie Baluyut Online, that serves as a personal reminder that you can make the most out of life by looking at it differently, and having a completely proactive state of mind. If you haven't read the book yet, I suggest you get a copy for yourself.

Cheers, everyone!

Choosing a Digital Camcorder

2008-05-29T03:03:00.003+08:00

I'm gearing up for a trip to Los Angeles in a few days. I'd like to think that it's going to be mainly about business, but the truth is, I just might actually be spending more time hanging out with my mom and my sister.

Which is all good: I've been to Eagle Rock once before, but I never had the chance to have a good look around, so this time, I'd like to take the time to have fun and check out what Los Angeles has to offer.

So one of the things I'm considering getting myself a new digital camcorder. I suppose now is a good time to get one, as camcorders now are a lot more sophisticated and user-friendly than ever, and that it's also great for new media projects (like if I choose to do more video-blogging or build up my own YouTube channel).

It can be overwhelming at first when searching for a digital camcorder. So many great digital camcorders out there, with so many features, but which one should you get for yourself?

Our goal of course is to be able to sort out through all the useful (and useless stuff) to figure out which digital camcorder best suits your needs. From one person out to find a good personal digital camcorder to another, here are some things you should consider when getting yourself one of these babies:

What Do You Need A Camcorder For?

Lets get some needs assessments out of the way: how do you see yourself using your new digital camcorder for the most part? Apart from taking random footages, do you think you'll be using it for more family projects like weddings and reunions and holidays and stuff? Or maybe you're thinking of going professional some day?

Sorting Through The Spec Sheets

Now that you have a fairly good idea on what you're using your digi-cam for, let's check out what you might expect to see on a regular digital camcorder spec sheet. In fact, Yahoo Tech has a good feature on the topic, which is what we're also featuring here.

When reviewing a digital camera spec sheet, you must pay particular attention to these items:

CCDs. Specifically, a 3-CCD camera, or a digi-cam with three charged-coupled devices. No need to get worked up on what it's really all about (but if you want to, you can read more about it here). All you need to know is that a 3-CCD camcorder provides better image quality, but it might be a little pricey. Great to have if you have a little extra cash, but not exactly mandatory.
Progressive Scan. A feature that makes a world of difference in picture quality (again, if you want to go technical, you can read more about it here). Digital camcorders with progressive scan are what makes DVD-quality shots possible. Again, great feature to have if it's in your budget.
Resolution. Remember, more is better. Some spec sheets list horizontal lines of resolution (say for example, 525 lines), others list the number of pixels (690,000 pixels, for example). When it comes down to comparing two digi-cams with the same features you like, it could come down to picking out which one has more.
Optical Zoom. Remember, optical zoom AND digital zoom are two entirely different things, and are usually listed separately on the spec sheet. The optical zoom factor gives you an idea on how well the camera lens actually sees, which should typically be in the 12x-25x range. We'll talk more about digital zoom in a bit.
Tape Format. Most digital cameras still make use of MiniDV- which is still a fairly common format. Then again, the newer digicams allow for the use of tape-free solutions: optical disks, hard disk drives and solid-state memory.
Batteries. You'll also want to consider battery life, and the cost of getting additional battery packs for your digital camera. Here's a tip- get yourself a digicam that makes use of lithium ion batteries, versus those that use NiMH (or nickel metal hydride) batteries. Lithium ion batts last longer, are easier to maintain, and add to the overall usability of your digital camera.
Microphone Connector. Most camcorders have a standard mini-jack connector for an external mic, but the more high-end units have a 3-pin XLR connector (or a balanced audio connector) used by professional-sounding microphones and PA systems. Eventually, you might consider getting yourself specialized microphones to suit your recording needs.
Manual Control. Of course, the most modern digital cameras are all automated when it comes to focus and exposure control, but sometimes you'd like to fiddle around with the settings yourself. Control rings around the lens are easier to use than tiny knobs or switches on the side of the camera.

These items on the spec sheet would be great to have, but don't get led on too much by the salesperson pitching these features to you. Not particularly important are:

Night vision. There are a number of camcorders that have an infrared mode or a low light mode that allows you to record in total darkness. It's not as useful as you think, unless you're going to be in the habit of exploring haunted houses or shooting nature videos at night.
Still photos. Great if you don't want to lug around two cameras. Still, that's what digital still cameras and DLSRs are for.
USB port. For digital video capture, you will be relying on FireWire. The USB port is mostly for transferring files into your computer- which you can then edit, store and burn into whatever media you wish. Don't rely on your USB port to capture digital video though.
Bluetooth. It's great that Bluetooth allows various gadgets- computers, mobile phones, camcorders- to connect with each other using radio waves instead of cables. But you're practically not going to be using this feature at all for capturing video.

These items are going to be totally useless to you:

Special Effects. I don't see any reason for this. If you're really into special effects, then the video editing software on your PC should be more well-equipped to get you what you need.
Digital zoom. Remember how we mentioned digital zoom when we talked about optical zoom? Digital zoom numbers (200x, for example) are large, and can be misleadingly appealing. What the digital zoom feature does is crop the picture captured by the CCD and then makes each remaining pixel bigger to fill the screen, resulting in greatly reduced image quality. Test the zoom feature on your digital camcorder, and make sure that you can disable digital zoom.
Built-in Light. Again, you're probably going to rely on other external lighting sources when shooting video.

Final Word

A brand new digital camcorder is great to have, and just like any gadget you own, is even better if you know what to look for and what you're going to be using it for.

Don't be carried away by hype and the salesperson's pitch. In fact, take some time to even go online and do some research of your own and check out a few top digital camcorder models, based on how others rate it.

In fact, I'll be doing that myself in a bit. We can even compare notes if you wish.

Pictures from Wikipedia.

Cheers, everyone!

Words of Inspiration from Anna Quindlen

2008-05-14T18:21:00.003+08:00

Here's the thing: I sorta take great pride in the fact that my friends don't spam me at all- no chain letters, or cheesy-cutesy nonsense, or crap forwarded dozens of times. For the simple reason that we ALL hate spam, and we all respect each other not to send junk to everybody else.

So when the occasional email on some random topic comes in, it's usually worth checking out. This afternoon, I got one such email from a good friend of mine (hello, Sasa!) which had the heading:

This read is worth the 5 minutes of stopping your work :)

OK, if she says so. I read on, half-expecting something hilarious. We all love well-crafted bits of wit and humor. As it turns out, it's an inspiring speech made by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Anna Quindlen at the graduation ceremony of an American university where she was awarded an Honorary PhD.

Little background: Anna Quindlen started out as a journalist in the 70's, started out with the New York Post, and eventually worked her way to several positions with The New York Times. By mid-90's, she became a full-time novelist, churning out five best-selling novels (in addition to children's books, and other works of fiction and non-), one of which was the basis for the 1998 Meryl Streep movie One True Thing.

I've always admired novelists and authors- here I am just struggling to carve out a niche for myself, so people who have managed to find their own place as writers and storytellers rank high in my book.

Anyway, instead of sending it to everyone in my inbox, I'd like to share this same speech with everybody else reading this blog. Check it out:

"I'm a novelist. My work is human nature. Real life is all I know. Don't ever confuse the two, your life and your work. You will walk out of here this afternoon with only one thing that no one else has. There will be hundreds of people out there with your same degree: there will be thousands of people doing what you want to do for a living. But you will be the only person alive who has sole custody of your life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life at a desk, or your life on a bus, or in a car, or at the computer. Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank accounts but also your soul.

People don't talk about the soul very much anymore. It's so much easier to write a resume than to craft a spirit. But a resume is cold comfort on a winter's night, or when you're sad, or broke, or lonely, or when you've received your test results and they're not so good.

Here is my resume: I am a good mother to three children. I have tried never to let my work stand in the way of being a good parent. I no longer consider myself the centre of the universe. I show up. I listen. I try to laugh. I am a good friend to my husband. I have tried to make marriage vows mean what they say. I am a good friend to my friends and they to me. Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today, because I would be a cardboard cut out. But I call them on the phone, and I meet them for lunch. I would be rotten, at best mediocre, at my job if those other things were not true.

You cannot be really first rate at your work if your work is all you are. So here's what I wanted to tell you today: Get a life. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger pay cheque, the larger house. Do you think you'd care so very much about those things if you blew an aneurysm one afternoon, or found a lump in your breast?

Get a life in which you notice the smell of salt water pushing itself on a breeze at the seaside, a life in which you stop and watch how a red-tailed hawk circles over the water, or the way a baby scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a sweet with her thumb and first finger.

Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work. Pick up the phone. Send an email. Write a letter. Get a life in which you are generous. And realize that life is the best thing ever, and that you have no business taking it for granted. Care so deeply about its goodness that you want to spread it around. Take money you would have spent on beer and give it to charity. Work in a soup kitchen. Be a big brother or sister. All of you want to do well. But if you do not do good too, then doing well will never be enough.

It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, and our minutes. It is so easy to take for granted the color of our kids' eyes, the way the melody in a symphony rises and falls and disappears and rises again. It is so easy to exist instead of to live.

I learned to live many years ago. I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned that it is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get. I learned to look at all the good in the world and try to give some of it back because I believed in it, completely and utterly. And I tried to do that, in part, by telling others what I had learned. By telling them this: Consider the lilies of the field. Look at the fuzz on a baby's ear. Read in the back yard with the sun on your face. Learn to be happy. And think of life as a terminal illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion as it ought to be lived."

Soak it up and think about it for a minute.

Cheers, everyone!

What Went Wrong With Speed Racer?

2008-05-11T09:08:00.003+08:00

Earlier this week, movie fans have their eyes and ears peeled- to see if Speed Racer can dethrone Iron Man from the top box-office spot.

Well, the results are in: I'm sad to say that it's bad news for Speed Racer- probably the first box-office casualty this summer. Iron Man continues to kick box office ass, making US$180 million alone in domestic receipts in its second week.

As for Speed Racer? It's only made a paltry US$6.1 million on its opening day, with a predicted take of around US$20-25 million for this weekend. And with an estimated US$200+ million to make and market, that's bad news for Warner Brothers indeed.

Even critics are giving the movie adaptation of the late 60's anime a hard time. Let's check out these reviews from IMDb.com. Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal had this to say:

"This toxic admixture of computer-generated frenzy and live-action torpor succeeds in being, almost simultaneously, genuinely painful -- the esthetic equivalent of needles in eyeballs -- and weirdly benumbing, like eye candy laced with lidocaine."

A.O. Scott of The New York Times offers this critique:

"The childhood experience the Wachowskis evoke is not the easy delight of lolling in the den watching one cartoon after another, but rather the squirming tedium of sitting in the back seat on an endless family car trip, your cheek taking on the texture of the vinyl seat as some grown-up lectures you on the beauty of the passing scenery."

And then you have this from Kyle Smith of the New York Post:

"This adventurously awful film is awful in many ways at once... It is, like a Ferrari poking across East 42nd Street at rush hour, fast yet slow... Its attention span is measurable in microseconds, yet it runs more than two hours. And it spent a trillion dollars imitating the look of a 10-cent cartoon from the primitive '60s -- artistically, the Cro-Magnon era. I was initially awed by its splendors. But when I'd had my fill, there was still an hour-45 left."

I was marginally curious with what Speed Racer had to offer, but after these bits from the internet, I doubt if I'll actually catch it on the big screen this weekend. Or any other weekend for that matter.

After all that money spent on The Wachowski Brothers and production and marketing, what went horribly wrong? Initially, you might blame marketing for this box-office fiasco. Was it perhaps targeting the wrong demographic?

The Speed Racer cartoon originally came out in 1967 as a Westernized (read: dubbed) anime for the US market. It was a huge back then- there was nothing like it, kids loved it- it was, one of the first successful anime franchises, together with other series like Astro Boy and Gigantor.

Which means, those who actually DO remember the show are probably in their 40's or 50's, maybe some of the 30's as well, if you consider the reruns and syndication in the 1970s.

So naturally, our live-action adaptation of Speed Racer would be best positioned towards a more family-oriented market. From what we have read on Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily,

According to the "Parents and Kids" premium tracking, Speed Racer was first choice among parents and boys aged 7 through 11.

Which means the movie is positioned well for parents who have appreciated and loved the TV run in the 60's and 70's, and kids who are about to see Speed Racer for the first time.

But the movie clocked in at 2 hours and 9 minutes- substantially much longer than the typical kiddie movie runtime of just a little bit over an hour.

And then you have the critics. And all the online buzz. According to the respected Top Critics community on RottenTomatoes.com, the consensus about Speed Racer is that it's "overloaded with headache-inducing effects, without a coherent script". Final Tomatometer score? A dismal 27%.

What I read from this is that it's probably not marketing to blame for it at all. Despite their success with The Matrix Trilogy, maybe the Wachowski Brothers came up short on this project. It seems that Warner Brothers gave the two siblings too much control, with horrible results.

Maybe the movie should have been re-written to appeal to a broader group of kids, maybe even teenagers, but it's all too little, too late by now. Next week, another Chronicles of Narnia movie (Prince Caspian) is coming out, and I doubt if Warner Brothers can catch up with more matinee screenings. By then, it's going to be the scrap heap for Speed Racer.

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Blog?

2008-04-04T02:24:00.000+08:00

I picked up a story from a couple of posts in the local blogosphere. A local TV show ran a feature on blogs, and called it "Beware of the Blog". No, I haven't seen it (sorry, no time to watch local TV these past several months), and everything I know is pretty much from what I've read from the blogs of some friends of ours- Noemi and Juned, in particular.

"Beware of the Blog" supposedly had some guests, and from what I gathered, the show's host tosses an issue, and the guests give their two cents' worth.

Here are some issues I'd like to comment on.

1. It seems that the guests believe that (according to Noemi's blog), "blogs are not reliable sources of information unless they come from respectable bloggers".

Who's to say a blogger is respectable or not? Who's to say a blogger is legit or otherwise. Apparently, one of the guests defined an illegitimate blogger as one who has a fake identity.

Here's how I see it: a blogger is a blogger. You have a blog? Then you're a blogger, regardless of whether you choose to use your real name or not.

I suppose some blogs can be treated more seriously than others- therefore, respectability may vary from one blog to another. Ultimately, however, it is the individual reader that chooses to see the blogger as an authority figure, or as just another waste of time.

Blogging gives anyone and everyone a voice. It's the great equalizer. I don't need my own TV network, radio station or printing press to get my message across anymore.

But a blog is only as powerful and as effective as its number of readers. The internet allows you to read or access virtually anything you want. If your blog has the numbers, then it means for some reason, people choose to read what you have to offer, rather than read something else.

I'd like to think that your readers and subscribers are fairly intelligent people- not easily cowed, swayed or even impressed. The fact that they keep reading your blog, and tell other people about it, does give you quite a degree of authority, and therefore, a fegree of respectability.

2. One of the guests said that blogs are like social rods and are used for social control.

Well, that's one way of looking at it- though it's not entirely true. Blogs can serve a number of purposes- and it doesn't necessarily have to be for social control. Some can be whimsical, others can be fun, many can be deeply serious, or informative and educational, but the vast majority are really just personal diaries and scrapbooks that just happen to be online.

But just like any form of media, blogs are all about keeping things honest. If someone feels that there's a story worth blogging about, and sharing about to the world, then it probably does have some value to it.

If a lot of people seem to be flocking into gossip blogs, then yes, it probably means something. Could it be that people take delight in the downfall of others? Or perhaps they're just in search of good story? Sheer curiosity perhaps? The reasons are many, and not necessarily definite or easily apparent. So just like a social rod, it can be an indicator of sorts.

But blogs aren't all about social control all the time.

3. Beware of the Blog?

Just a tad bit sensational for a title, isn't it? But seriously, why do you have to be afraid of blogs?

Blogs are wonderful tools for communication and interaction. But just like any other form of media, it can be subject to abuse and misuse. In fact, put a blog in the wrong hands, and you can have trouble easily brewing.

Again, blogs only have power if readers choose to give it power. Juned put it rather well, I think. If you don't like what you read, you may choose to:

a> ignore the blog altogether, and dismiss it as a total waste of time,
b> write back and leave a comment, and voice out your disagreement,
c> flag the blog as offensive, particularly if your blog is hosted on free blogging services like Blogspot or Wordpress.
d> sue their sorry asses, in particularly extreme cases, and I hope it never has to come to that.

Again, Juned put it nicely: Caveat Lector. Latin for "Let the Reader Beware".

Have any of you guys actually seen that TV feature? What do you think?

Blogging Full-time Now

2008-04-03T23:37:00.000+08:00

Yep. I suppose you can call me a professional blogger now. And I couldn't be happier.

I've started blogging a little bit over a year ago. Though I may have already learned quite a bit about blogs and blogging since then, I still feel like I have much more to soak up on.

This one particular blog of mine- "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!"- started it all for me. At first, it was a catch-all kind of blog that had a little bit of everything. Then it wasn't too long until I've decided to position them towards a certain niche. So now I got at least eight different blogs right now, each about a specific topic.

I was really just having fun sharing whatever I knew- at first it was just among friends, then friends of friends. Then I was being sent CDs and DVDs to check out, just so I could write about them.

I never considered it seriously at first, but then the money started trickling in. Not even through Adsense just yet, since I haven't even made a serious effort promoting any of my blogs. It was usually more of companies asking me to help them set up their blogs, or to write for them.
And it wasn't much- first a couple bucks here, a few more there. Then just within a few weeks, I've noticed that the rates were going up, and I was actually getting more writing jobs through my blogs.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd let go of my day job to take on a couple of contracts which were, needless to say, very much worth my while. How often does it happen that you do get a job offer that pays a lot more than your current job, for you to do exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life?

It doesn't happen that often to me.

So here I am, happily blogging from the comfort of my own home. Plus I have all the time to do whatever the hell I want- go to the gym, do more business, read a book, travel, blog some more or just laze around at home.

It's all very exciting, really.

Again, I know I'm not the best blogger there is out there, or one with the bb-ranking blog, or even someone with the best content, but I think I'm in a better position now to help other people do more with their blogs. Heck, it's the wave of the future.

To all my fellow bloggers and friends who have been blogging, and to everyone who's read any of my blogs- thanks for inspiring me to blog better. This bold new step forward could never be possible without you.

We keep blogging, and we'll help others keep blogging as well.

Cheers, everyone!

What dSLR Does Veronica Mars Use?

2008-03-25T16:33:00.000+08:00

While we're on the topic of digital single-lens reflex (dSLR) cameras, let's find out what kind of cameras Veronica Mars used on her CW show a year or two back.

See, I've been a huge fan of the TV series (one of my guilty pleasures, actually), and I have to admit, I was sorta impressed with that big-ass camera she slings around. Of course, it's fairly obvious that a set-up like that doesn't come cheap- but it made sense- since they run a small detective agency, it's all probably used for work.

At any rate, I've had a renewed interest in dSLR's recently. I figured that since I'm blogging professionally now (and full-time, I might add), it might actually make sense to get myself a better camera. By better, I mean, something that would be a step up from my handy 5.1-megapixel Sony Cybershot. So in an earlier blog entry, I actually did some homework.

Here's What I Found Out About Veronica Mars' Cameras.

Apparently, there's been a discussion on a VM fansite on Livejournal as to what kind of dSLR's were featured on the show. As far as we can tell, Kristen Bell's character had used three different cameras, all of 'em Nikons.

1. A Nikon D2H with a huge-ass zoom lens (possibly the 70-200 f/2.8 VR), used in the series premiere.
2. Then she also had a the Nikon 8800, as seen in an episode mid-season (of Season 1). It ain't no big deal, but a point-and-shoot that still has a lot of great features.
3. By Season 2, we see her wielding a Nikon D70 with the relatively cheaper, but still impressive 80-200 f/2.8D zoom lens.

Seems like a product integration deal for Nikon, but it's probably not (then again, they probably should have!). The fansite suggested that the show's director of photography, Victor Hammer (who might have a personal preference for Nikons) may have had a few spare cameras lying around, and therefore used one of his toys for Veronica Mars to play with. Nice.

You can watch the UPN/CW drama series over again on DVD, or just catch Kristen Bell on season 2 of Heroes, or as the omniescent voiceover on Gossip Girl, this time without the cool cameras. :)

Cheers, everyone!

What's A Good dSLR for A Newbie?

2008-03-25T14:42:00.001+08:00

Blogs and digital photography go hand-in-hand, just like Hall & Oates, Tango & Cash and Dungeons & Dragons.

I was at this one local bloggers' event not too long ago, armed with my trusty Asus EEE PC and 5.1 megapixel Sony Cybershot- my standard loadout pretty much wherever I go. Now when they start coming out with mobile phones that pretty much out-pixel your own compact digital camera, then I say it's time to get a new camera.

Incidentally, it was Fritz's Nokia N82 (yes, that's his phone pictured to the right) that made me realize it's really time to get me some new hardware. Juned had a hand in that too (a few months back), but the urgency was just driven home with the realization that my three-year old Cyber-shot can easily be obsolete in a couple of weeks. What? Oh, it's obsolete already? Well, so much for that.

So, back to our topic on great dSLR's for beginners:

In an article published on CNet.com.au a little more than a year ago, we get ourselves a helpful little look into getting our first dSLR. Sure, there may be better ones out in the market now, but when you know absolutely nothing about these babies, I'd say this article is a good place to start. In fact, I'm del.icio.us'ing/Digg'ing/StumbleUpon'ing it right now.

Why You Would Want To Get A dSLR

Maybe you don't have to. In fact, a compact digital camera (like my CyberShot) works just fine. But if for some reason, you'd want to take your photography to a higher level, then maybe it's time you start investing in a digital single-lens reflex (dSLR) camera.

I'm only geek enough to want to get into geekier things, so if you want to read up more on what a dSLR is all about, you may want to start Googling it up, or reading all about it here on Wikipedia.

According to CNet's Mary Lojkine:

An SLR is more responsive than a compact, allowing you to take photos more quickly; it gives you more control, so you can be more creative; and it's more flexible, allowing you to change the lens or use accessories such as flashguns and remote controls.

There you have it. Thanks, Mary.

Recommended dSLRs For Beginners

That same CNet article generally recommends these four entry-level SLR's, each has its own pros and cons, just like a Detour on The Amazing Race. But why these four? According to Mary,

...these entry-level SLRs are designed for people who are used to pocket-friendly compacts, the manufacturers have kept them small and light. Experienced photographers may scoff, telling you that larger and heavier cameras are easier to handle and hold, but if you're used to a compact, you won't want anything too big.

That being said, let's check out our four recommendations:

1. the Canon EOS 400D. The Canon EOS 400D ships with 18-55mm zoom lens. It has a 10-megapixel sensor, and it gives you great customization options with a wide range of lenses and accessories you can attach to it, depending on what you need. Has a good balance of auto, semi-auto and manual controls for you to explore as your skills improve.
2. the Olympus E-410. The Olympus E-410 is the smallest and the lightest of the four- great if you want to carry around less camera. It also comes with a 10-megapixel sensor. Compared to the Canon and Nikon, it comes with a better zoom range out of the box- with a twin-lens kit with 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses, or 28-84mm and 80-300mm in 35mm terms.
3. the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 . The Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 also has a 10-megapixel sensor, and is a relative newcomer in the dSLR market, using the tech it got from Konica-Minolta. It has a built-in image stabilization option (whereas you have to get special lenses for the Canon and Nikon). It also has auto focus, anti-static coating and 21 compatible lenses.
4. the Nikon D40. Just like the Canon, the Nikon D40 also ships with a zoom lens, but only comes with a 6-megapixel sensor. Still not bad, and will still produce better pics than a regular compact, but you might feel you're lagging behind with this one. On the plus side, the Nikon also has a lot of accessories and lenses you can get later on, so in that regard, it's just as customizable as the Canon. That said, it's still a great transition camera as your first dSLR.

The Final Word

As far as CNet has presented, you have a good variety of transition dSLRs too choose from, depending on how you see yourself using your camera in the more immediate future. But here's what they have to say:

...it's a close-run thing, but for our money, the Canon EOS 400D has a slight edge. It costs a little more than the Nikon D40, but the extra megapixels will keep you happy for longer.

So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. I hope this helps you out as much as did for me. Still, don't stop looking around and checking out other cams. There might be other, newer models out there that could be better than the ones presented here. I'd sure love to hear about it if you do find any.

Cheers, everyone!

Blogs Give You More Bang For Your Buck!

2008-03-16T14:56:00.001+08:00

Here's an interesting read on Abe Olandres' Yugatech: a blog entry on how advertisers might actually be getting a better return-of-investment on their media buy with blog advertising.

In a recent presentation he made, Abe compared the performance of ads on his blog (YugaTech) to four other sites that carries the same advertising: two news sites (which he designates as sites A & B), a forum (site C), and a portal (site D).

With this mix of websites, he stacked them up against each other and compared the following five attributes:

Total Traffic Contribution. Percentage traffic share (leading into the advertiser's landing page?) from each site, considering the total combined online traffic of all five.
New Visitors. The percentage of unique visitors on a blog clicking an advertiser's ad.
Page Views Per Visit.
Average Time on Site.
Bounce Rate. The percentage of people leaving the referred site right away.

Here's what Abe had to say about the Total Traffic Contribution:

Of the top 5 referring sites, my blog (YugaTech) was the 3rd highest referrer with 19.33% of the total traffic contributed by all five. The first two were the news sites that sent in 39.05% and 23.88%, the forum site sent only 11.56% and the portal 6.19%.
To think that one of the news sites had (at least) 192 times more number of monthly pageviews than this blog, placing 3rd in terms of referrals ain’t bad at all. Too bad, I couldn’t get any click-thru-rates.

According to the blog entry, what surprised Abe more were the results of the other metrics: New Visitors, Page Views per Visit, and Average Time on Site.

New Visitors

Site A - 80.5% new visitors
Site B - 69.5% new visitors
Site C - 64.5% new visitors
Site D - 78.0% new visitors
YugaTech - 45% new visitors

Depending on how you look at it, either this blog doesn’t refer more unique visitors or visitors keep clicking on the ads more than once (which is good right?).

Page Views per Visit

Site A - 2.17 pageviews
Site B - 2.06 pageviews
Site C - 1.78 pageviews
Site D - 2.64 pageviews
YugaTech - 6.12 pageviews

Average Time on Site

Site A - 2.24 minutes
Site B - 2:38 minutes
Site C - 1:35 minutes
Site D - 3:07 minutes
YugaTech - 10:17 minutes

It only means one thing — the blog drives more quality traffic because they actually use the referred site more. The figures above shows us 3 to 5 times more site usage by visitors coming from the blog.

Lastly, Abe shares a little more about Bounce Rates:

Site A - 60%
Site B - 60%
Site C - 75%
Site D - 56%
YugaTech - 34%

Bounce rates indicate the percentage of people leaving the referred site right away. So the lower the bounce rates, the better since it means visitors are sticking to the site. Here’s two words to describe that — targeted traffic.

Now that's interesting- more compelling reasons for just about any company to invest more in blogs- for quality content that hits your targeted market segment! Abe's final word on the subject matter (for now):

I do not know how much advertising money was spent on all the 5 sites (including this blog) but from the limited data I gathered, this blog only got around 2% of the total ad spendings (I’m pretty sure it’s lower).

If we just go by the raw number of visitors, spending 2% of your ad budget to get 19% of the traffic (and high quality traffic at that) is a great ROI.

The hard numbers above will show you that blog advertising has a much higher Return of Investment (ROI). So next time you’re thinking of doing online advertising, do consider blogs in your budget. =)

Thanks for that highly informative post, Abe. You can check out more on him on YugaTech.com, for more of Technology news and reviews in the Philippines.

Hope you all found that useful as much as I did. Cheers, everyone!

Podcasting: Fun with Digital Audio and Video.

2008-03-16T13:26:00.000+08:00

Technology today has come to a point that user-generated content is now a very easy and cost-effective effort. Anyone with a PC, an internet connection can have a blog these days. Got a digital camera? Put up a photo-blog! If you have basic audio-video equipment, you can have your own series of viral videos and podcasts, if you feel like it.

As a dude who's been in radio for the past 14 years, it's supposed to be a natural transition of sorts, going from a show on an actual FM radio station to doing something along the lines of New Media- specifically, a podcast.

According to Wikipedia:

A podcast is a collection of digital media files which is distributed over the Internet, often using syndication feeds, for playback on portable media players and personal computers. The term "podcast", like "broadcast", can refer either to the series of content itself or to the method by which it is syndicated; the latter is also termed podcasting. The term podcast should not be used to describe individual files. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster.

These days, anyone can have his own radio show on the internet- you can say whatever you want, put whatever content you like, without the restrictions of having to deal with the management of a radio station. Heck, you don't even have to be connected with a radio station!

Whether you're just a regular dude with a desire to speak out and share your knowledge on particular subject matters, or a small business looking for a great new way to promote yourself, then you might want to consider podcasting- which is what I'm considering now.

I've been looking into having my own series of podcasts- and man, there are just so many things you can talk about! Just in the same way you can put up a blog on just about anything, really. Only that a podcast is media in spoken word format, usually on mp3, while a blog is written for all to read.

Here's what I have so far: my current favorite site is this really useful Podcasting News. I say it's a good place to start, for anyone who wants to at least listen to a few podcasts, just to have an idea. Since last Friday, I've been listening to a number of em- some good, some bad. Look to the sidebar on the left side of the Podcasting News website, and you can find some recommendations.

Also, on top of news in the world of podcasting, they also have features and resources to help you on your way. Definitely a great place to start, if you ask me.

Other great reads on podcasting:

The Creative Commons' Legal Guide To Podcasting. Might as well make it legitimate, right?
Podcast.net has a whole LOT of podcasts for you to go through. Pick a subject matter and give it a go! Alternately, you can check out Podcast Alley, or Pageflakes' Mother of all Podcasts.
Another great site for beginning podcasters here, on K12 Handhelds. Also, check out O'Reilly while you're at it.
If you have time, you may also want to check out Podcasting Tools for some more detailed info on gear, directories and even trade shows on podcasting.

So there you have it- hope this helps you as much as it does for me. Let me know how that podcasting project of yours comes along. I'll post the links to my own podcasts once I have enough content.

Cheers everyone!

Blogs and Blogging: New Media for SME's

2008-03-15T10:58:00.000+08:00

One of the biggest challenges I've noticed, is getting a traditionally set-up Small- or Medium-sized Enterprise to get into New Media. A lot of SME's (particularly here in the Philippines, for example) are family-owned, and therefore is run by the family, with the patriarch/matriarch right on top of things.

For a variety of reasons, these SME's haven't quite picked up on the idea of using New Media to market their business- they might feel that whatever little resources on hand might be better allocated on more lucrative activities. Or maybe there's just a pervading atmosphere of technophobia, or maybe management just doesn't care at all.

Unless of course, you have a say on using New Media for your company's marketing communications efforts- then hey, good for you.

At a time when businesses are struggling with the rising costs of traditional media (TV, radio, print), and the proliferation of other avenues for promotion (events, outdoor media, etc.), at a time when there is just so much ad clutter, and at a time your audience is more averse to being advertised to, what's a Small Business to do?

This is where New Media comes in. It is way, way cheaper than traditional media, and if you use it right, it can be the most effective online tool for you and your growing business.

YouTube is such a massive online hit- so why not make a series of viral videos instead of an expensive TV commercial? Podcasts are the new radio- and you can talk about whatever you like, and even have your own show. Blogs take the place of magazines and newspapers- with loads of informative, entertaining or even scandalous posts that can launch full-blown discussion threads when written well.

Blogging for Small- to Medium-sized Enterprises.

I've picked up quite a bit of information on the subject matter- through my own experiences as a marketing exec, through my interaction with other blogs and bloggers, and attending these highly informative workshops on blogging.

Jayvee Fernandez, general manager of The Blog Bank and channel editor for b5Media, has given a particularly thought-provoking talk in one such workshop not too long ago.

He's pointed out a number of reasons why growing businesses should get into blogging:

1. Blogging is way more cost-effective than traditional media.
2. A well-executed blogging campaign can easily quantify word-of-mouth marketing.
3. Blogs give us access to honest consumer feedback.
4. Here's a good one- bloggers are more passionate than your entire marketing team.
5. Bloggers are self-aware and are concerned with their own development.
6. A new wave of SME's are already doing it- so isn't it about time your company should too?

Definitely worth a closer look, don't you think? I'll use the rest of the weekend to dig deeper into the subject matter.

So what do you think? Don't you think it's time to hop on the blogging bandwagon?

Cheers, everyone!

Blogs Make For Great Business!

2008-03-14T18:56:00.000+08:00

More than ever, companies are looking for more cost-effective ways to promote themselves. Traditional means of advertising are alright- but modern-day marketing practices say that there are so much more non-traditional ways to get that brand message across, and cut through all the ad clutter.

As somebody who does IMC for a living- what Jay Conrad Levinson preaches in his book, "Guerilla Marketing", is pretty much spot on: no single advertising medium works on its own, but marketing combinations work.

And here's something that can synergize very well with just about any promotional campaign you have on hand: blogs.

Blogs are the new magazines, newspapers and books; thanks to more easily accessible (read: free!) user-friendly publishing tools such as Blogspot (which hosts this particular blog), Wordpress, LiveJournal, and so many others, anyone with a PC, and internet connection, and a desire to share anything can now be author, publisher and editor.

Just like FM radio, it easily synergizes with just about anything- of course, one huge advantage is that New Media (blogs included) costs so much less than traditional media. Plus, blogs are paperless. And I'm for anything that uses less paper. Much less paper! Save the environment, everyone!

Which is why blog networks are all the rage these days- we've seen a number of them come up over the past couple years: b5Media, Weblogs, Inc., The DailyPixel Network, Know More Media, Creative Weblogging, Content Quake, and locally, here in the Philippines, The Bayanihan Blog Network.

In fact, now's a great time to start blogging- just check out all the job listings here on Problogger jobs, or you can go ahead and just Google it. You'll find lots of jobs out there if you're considering a career as a pro-blogger. Go ahead and pick some, why dont'cha?

The BlogBank is the Philippines' first blog advertising network- it's so new, they've just launched this week. If you check out their webpage, they have this to say:

The largest circulating newspaper in the Philippines produces 250,000 copies a day. Assuming a pass–on rate of 3 per copy, a newspaper ad gives you 750,000 impressions.

BlogBank gives you one million ad impressions.

This is great news for Advertisers- particularly those targeting the internet-friendly Philippine market. Also great news for publishers- those who blog- because it means that there's actually a market out there for quality content and quality blogs.

So keep on blogging! If you're someone who just started getting into the blogging lifestyle- it pays off (at least it can, eventually), as long as you're passionate about sharing your thoughts and your experiences, even more so if you write well, and write regularly.

If you're running a business, you now have something new to consider when developing your promotional campaigns for the next several months- now is also the time to maybe get into blogging yourself; start putting up your own corporate blog and attach it to your website, and see how much it can do for your business.

See you around in the blogosphere! Cheers, everyone!

Improving Your Writing Style

2008-03-11T13:37:00.000+08:00

I've recently blogged about the sorry state of English among the vast majority of bloggers in the Philippines in another blog of mine.

I suppose that's one of the reasons why we tend to just choose a small number of blogs we keep coming back to, even if we've seen dozens or even hundreds of other bits of online work.

Remember that as bloggers, we are responsible for developing ourselves. We're author, publisher, editor and reviewer all rolled into one. Responsible blogging does call for an active desire to communicate as clearly as possible. You probably don't have to be a Palanca awardee like Butch Dalisay, but just good enough to at least have your own style and get your message across.

Here are some tips to improve your writing style as a blogger.

1. Read. Seriously, when was the last time you picked up a book? It's OK to read other blogs, a newspaper, or even a magazine- but there's something about an offline piece of hardcopy reading that focuses your attention right at it. Right now, I'm reading Jay Conrad Levinson's Guerilla Marketing- it's some really great stuff, especially if you're in the marketing business.

2. Write, and Keep Writing. The best writers had to start out somewhere- their writing skills weren't genetically engineered, or hardwired into their system. Just like any other skillset, you gain more proficiency the more you use it. There also has to be an active effort to improve your writing style- thus the importance of reading- because you'll need to draw inspiration from people better than yourself.

3. Interact With Others. You gain a lot through interaction. And it's really all about building relationships with others. We continue to learn through constant interaction. That book you read? That post you just wrote? Share it with others! Allow others to react to your work, or to your style of work.

4. Go Offline Too! You do realize there's a world out there, right? Live in it. Experience new things, and find new things you can be passionate about. Join others who share the same passion you have. And it's just so easy to write about things you deeply care about. Besides, it also makes for lots of great pictures!

What other tips can you share to help others develop a better writing style?

Get It Together with PageFlakes!

2008-03-09T08:14:00.000+08:00

Man, I love Pageflakes! I've been at it since I discovered it last Friday when Andrian Lee of AsiaPay mentioned it at the Corporate Communications 2.0 Workshop at the Asian Institute of Management. Thanks, Andrian. I've only started to appreciate RSS feeds recently, and Pageflakes only makes it a lot more appealing.

Here's the deal: Pageflakes allows you to get all your favorite blogs and websites all together on one page, by the power of RSS feeds. In my case, I've used it to make my own homepage where all my favorite blogs are up there, headlines and updates ready to be read as soon as I fire up my Firefox browser.

Each blog or website comes in a little module that you can move around, depending on how you want your page laid out. Pageflakes also has a variety of all kinds of additional widgets- from task-lists to news services to add-ons of your favorite social media applications. The page is customizable, so you can go ahead and choose whatever look you want.

If you're a little bit more obsessive-compulsive, you may want to organize your interests a bit- by creating separate pages of whatever fancies you. Currently I have pages for:

My personal stuff- where I keep tabs of my own blogs, Facebook, Multiply, Twitter, Technorati, etc. I call it Renzie's Flaix!
The Blogosphere- where I check out other friends' and other people's blogs.
Work-Life Balance- for effective and worry-free everyday living, so among other sites I have here Lifehacker and LOLCats- LOLZ!
Fun with New Media- everything on blog-building, search engine marketing, podcasting, vlogging, RSS feeds is right here.
All About Business- is just about that: marketing and management, e-commerce, outsourcing. Serious stuff which I find fun.
Make Money Online- my quest for financial independence begins here! Favorite sites include ShoeMoney and Dosh Dosh.
Personal Geekness- is rather self-explanatory. Here's where I have Engadget and Kotaku. I plan to fill this up with all things gaming, tech and geeky. Good fun.
Entertainment- still have to fill this up with my favorite updates on the TV, film and music front.
Philippines + Tourism- a future project in the works. This is where I'll keep an eye out on great stuff already written about the Philippines- where to go, what to check out, what to eat, etc.

Of course, I can make any other page I feel like later on- and share it with the world! Pageflakes gives you the option to "pagecast", or share your page to everyone else. So whenever you feel like it, you can go right ahead and check out other people's pages as well.

Which I haven't done just yet. Yesterday morning and last night were spent toying around with the options, filling up a profile and yeah, plugging in all those RSS feeds in whatever page I've created. And there's still so much to discover. Probably wouldn't be the new Facebook, but I like it for its functionality and convenience.

Lemme know if you're on Pageflakes too. Let's add each other up and check out our pagecasts.

Cheers, everyone!

Corporate Communications 2.0 at AIM Gives To GILAS

2008-03-08T22:22:00.000+08:00

Gotta give props to one of our friends Regnard Raquedan of webstandards.raquedan.com for organizing an informative talk on Corporate Blogging- this happened yesterday at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), for pretty much the better part of the day, and was attended by Regnard's classmates and a lot of people he's been able to round up using Facebook.

Featured speakers yesterday were our friends Jayvee Fernandez, Channel Editor for Technology over at b5Media, and Andrian Lee, Marketing Director of AsiaPay Philippines. Also there were Hans Koch of SyndeoMedia and John Anthony Ray, both of whom may have had a talk, but I probably missed out on them- since I had to attend to some work issues at lunchtime.

In any case, it was a very informative workshop- learned quite a bit, actually. I just read Regnard's blog and he's happy to announce that the event raised almost Php20k in funds- which goes to the GILAS Project of the Ayala Foundation, a project that aims to provide internet access to public schools all over the country, as well as providing basic training to the teachers to bring them up to speed.

For me, as in any event, I always love the networking part- where you get to meet new people and hopefully, look for opportunities to work together or be friends or both. At that event, I've met:

Blogger Enrico Dee of Byahilo.com, whom I've met a couple of times- the latest being that Spiked After 5 event of Delifrance- but never got the chance to have a chat with.
Bjorn Martinoff, of Integrative Learning, who was seated right next to me,
From New Media Worldwide Co., Philippines, Inc., we've met Kristine Barrios and Chinkey Llave.
Hans A. Koch, of Syndeo Media- whom I've met at last year's SEMCon and bumped into a couple of times at AsiaPay's E-commerista Nights.
Yoj Vestudio of myGlobe,
and Samantha Barros-Allen of the Entertainment Gateway Group.

There were a lot of others there whom and I wish I had the time to chat with them a bit. But like I said earlier on- major props to Regnard for a worthwhile event. Hope we have more comin' up in the future.

To everyone who was at the Corporate Communications 2.0 workshop that afternoon who just happened to stumble upon this blog entry somehow- hey, I'd sure love to hear from you. I'd love to toss around an idea or two, maybe even do a collaborative effort- whatever. Always here to help out, you know?

Shout-out also to Jayvee and Andrian for the interesting talk. I mean, it's one thing to interact with these guys, and it's quite another thing to hear 'em bust out the presentations and do their thing. Now that I think about it, both of 'em had talks at that last SEMCon as well. Looking forward to your next talk, or maybe even work with you on a future endeavor.

Personally, I hope to be at more of these events, so you'll hear all about it right here when I blog about them. 'Til next time.

Cheers, everyone!

Who Are The Bloggers In Your Neighborhood? (2008)

2008-03-06T17:54:00.000+08:00

Ever since I started blogging seriously (which was last October or November), I always made it a point to learn as much as I can about blogging and blog-building. Of course I can always pick up a book, or soak up on as much as I could from online sources, but I thought it would be a good idea to learn from some of the more established bloggers.

After all, they were newbies too at some point, right?

Besides, this makes for a great opportunity to meet the people behind the blogs, as well as a chance to do some serious networking.

So since then, I've taken an active effort to attend as many blogger events as I possibly could: like the one at Kape Isla with the good people of b5media, the Bloggers' Food Tour at TriNoma, the HappySlip event of Yehey.com, and this more recent Bloggers' Night with Delifrance at their cafe near Citibank Pasong Tamo.

What's interesting when meeting with bloggers is that oftentimes, they blog about stuff so totally off their current occupation- a doctor can be totally into photography, a lawyer into cooking, a country consultant into organizing weddings, even a mom into the latest in technology.

It is through blogs that bloggers live out their frustrations and fantasies. And it's all good on the blogging front- you can establish your authority easily with a well-positioned, well-conceived, well-put-together blog.

Which brings us to the point of this segment. "Who Are The Bloggers In Your Neighborhood?" aims to showcase all our new blogger friends- get to know them better, and hopefully learn a thing or two from them.

If you have someone in mind you'd like to feature, or if you want your blog to be featured, do let me know. And drop on in from time to time to see who we have featured here.

Cheers, everyone!

Cheftonio on "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!"

2008-03-06T16:33:00.000+08:00

Hello everyone. Welcome to "Who Are The Bloggers In Your Neighborhood?" on "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!"- this is where we get to meet some very interesting personalities in the local blogosphere.

Our first blogger is Cheftonio of cheftonio.blogspot.com. By day, Cheftonio has a regular job just like everyone else. As a marketing executive, he's online a lot- mostly, to corner the internet for orders. He currently works for Binalot and Potato Corner at the Puregold on the corner of Araneta Avenue and E. Rodriguez Avenue in Q.C.

For now, at least. Cheftonio says, "In the future, I will be working for more franchised/owned stores and offer them my services."

So between then and now, Cheftonio has been doing a lot of blogging- all because he likes to write. He's been at it for a year now, and has blogs on travel, gadgets and lifestyle among other things.

But his main blog- Cheftonio's B Log- is more about politics. Something he definitely feels passionate about. Check it out- it has some interesting reads. Paints you a good picture of local politics if you need some brushing up.

Cheftonio The Blogger.

While Cheftonio blogs on both his PC and his laptop, he moves around a lot, and so prefers his lightweight Twinhead laptop. When not blogging, he likes meeting people, doing business, researching, and reading.

Chef uses Multiply and Hukay.com a lot, and admits that he'd like to learn more on generating traffic, link-building and monetization. As for SEO- he chooses to focus on content: just keep coming up with interesting and helpful articles.

I asked him if he knew of good places with free wi-fi, and he directed me towards a gadget blog- after a quick review, I figured the whole topic deserves a totally separate blog entry- which you can read here. Thanks, Chef.

Blogger Advice from Cheftonio.

"Just write whatever you want," he tells his fellow bloggers. "Make sure to mention them (your sources) if you are copy-pasting," he adds.

True enough- sometimes, we do see some bits of an article we wrote posted verbatim with even the exact same format on another blog. Proper blog etiquette dictates that, at the very least, cite your source and provide a link to the original text.

Even better, email the source- ask permission. You even get their blessings that way- and you gain more through interaction.

"Who Are The Bloggers in Your Neighborhood?" is an effort on "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!" to help educate amateur bloggers and those new to the blogging lifestyle by introducing them to the more established personages in the local blogging scene. Drop on in from time to time to check out who we're featuring.

Cheers, everyone!

Photobucket Works For Me!

2008-02-26T14:36:00.000+08:00

For the past couple of weeks, I noticed that a lot of my image links to my Multiply has been screwing up. A friend of mine brought it up one time she checked out one of my earlier blog entries- and pointed out to me that all the spaces where the pics should have been were just that- empty spaces.

Empty spaces with the Multiply logo on em. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I've decided to put all my photos instead on Photobucket. Yes, I registered for a new account, and now all my new pics and vids are posted right there.

So far, so good- I like the interface, and the way you could create folders within folders, thereby making it easier to arrange photos. Haven't found a way to browse through all the folders without having to click on each one though. I foresee a time when I'll probably have way too many pictures- I'm having enough trouble keeping track of things as it is.

Nevertheless, Multiply will still be up and running- I still like the whole interactivity of it. But all my pics and vids (to think I just tried vlogging recently) go to Photobucket.

Cheers, everyone!

Got Plans For The Holy Week?

2008-02-26T12:42:00.000+08:00

I'm the kind of guy who'd like to take the opportunity to do some reflecting for The Holy Week- not just about spiritual stuff, but to really have a good look at where I am right now, what kind of direction I'm headed and what my more immediate action plans are.

Incidentally, Holy Week this year is just a mere 3 weeks away, with Maundy Thursday falling on March 20 and Good Friday on the 21st. Easter Sunday happens on the 23rd.

See, in the Philippines, Holy Week is a time when the city streets look like its something straight out of I Am Legend- the whole place is deserted as everyone has either left town or gone book themselves up in a hotel for several nights.

Me, I'm not a huge fan of going out of town when everybody else is cramming their cars into the North or South Expressways. Staying home is OK, but I'd really rather make some plans if I can.

So this year, I plan to stay in a hotel. Only because I'd like to take my laptop with me, maybe a couple of good books, and use all that time to get some writing done- let all the thoughts flow, you know? And get them all down on Notepad, then publish it online.

I've decided that I might check out Legend Hotels this year. Sure there are lots of value hotels in the Philippines, but I've checked out their website- www.legendhotels.com.ph, and the place looks alright. They even have this special promo: The Legend Villas' Family Weekend Package, which seems reasonably priced for a small family or group of friends.

The rates are currently pegged at php2970 net/night, inclusive of buffet breakfast for two, a 20% Discount at the Lola Maria Coffee Shop, business center and laundry services, as well as in-room coffee and tea. The promo is valid until 31 December 2008. I'm sure they have other things going on, so it's probably best to visit the website, give them a call, or drop by for a visit.

Sounds great- coz it means I don't have to spend hours in Holy Week out-of-town traffic but still have my quiet time for reflecting and stuff. I can take a dip in the pool if I feel like it, or just chill with some good reading and some easy listening, then just let the thoughts flow into my laptop.

Cheers, everyone!

Delifrance Bloggers' Night: My First Vlogging Effort

2008-02-26T10:31:00.000+08:00

Okay, here's my first attempt at vlogging.

Several bloggers were invited to check out Delifrance's new line of Spiked Coffees. I'll be blogging more about that later on. In the meantime, check out this vid I put together. And, yep, I suppose this makes for my first official vlogging effort.

Naturally, I'll have to look into the whole vlogging scene in the Philippines. I have to admit, there are a lot of people who have inspired me to do the same, and it's always fun to tinker around with a cam and PC and see what happens, you know?

BTW, watch the vid to find out how you can score on some free coffee- and be one of the first to check out Delifrance's naughty new line of coffee treats!

Cheers everyone!

Here's What I Figured Out...

2008-02-22T16:18:00.000+08:00

For the past few weeks, I've been helping out several friends set up their own blogs. More than anything, I've realized that the needs of every blog and blogger indeed differ from case to case.

Just among my friends, I've noticed that some 70-80% are still personal blogs- no particular niche in mind, really- just an online compilation of pics and notes and links and other things they find interesting.

20-30% would have business in mind setting up a blog: some would want to showcase their authority on a given topic, or promote a particular brand, product, service, event or idea. These require a lot more work- as you now bring SEO into play, as well as traffic generation, RSS, social networking and link-building.

I'd say a third of those I've talked to have decided to make their blogs a money-making effort. Something I'd discourage at least until your blog reaches critical mass, or at least a solid amount of content. The problem is that, there are way too many people who put money-making in the forefront more than creating a positive user experience. Then again, it's just me.

If anything, the experience for the past couple weeks has inspired me to put together a curriculum of sorts- a way to organize the content in this particular blog to help out any blogger given his/her needs.

So for the next several weeks, I'll be working on just that. As always, I'll be more than happy to accommodate requests to help along the lines of blog-building. At least, as much as I know- I'm still learning a lot of this stuff as I go along.

Cheers, everyone!

Just a Quick Update, Really...

2008-02-20T04:09:00.001+08:00

Hello everyone.

Just to keep you posted on what's going on: I've been working on a few other blog projects, some for work and some for my own personal interests.

More notably, I've been putting more work on five other personal blogs:

1. The Life & Times of The Renzie Man. This particular blog toys around with the Wordpress publishing system. Not as user-friendly as Blogspot/Blogger, but it does have its charms. It's actually the closest thing I have to an actual online diary- the way blogs were supposed to be to begin with.

2. Renzie's Rants and Raves. Mostly about my recommendations on having fun, taking it easy, and other random things. It's all about reviews- more like a consumer-point-of-view take on dining out, spas, music, books, internet stuff, etc.

3. My Thoughts In Stereo! I figured I had to capitalize on my knowledge and expertise on all things music and radio- the site aims to have everything from music videos + lyrics, artist trivia, and even some insider info on the radio, recording and advertising industries.

4. Too Much TV! A lot of people tend to ask me if I know about when the latest Heroes episode is coming out, or what song was used on which episode of Gossip Girl, or who's that new chick playing Sarah Connor- so I decided to put this blog together and do a public service of sorts.

5. Renzie On Gaming. I gotta admit, a lot of my spare time is still spent playing PC games. Or probably more like, I make an effort to make more spare time to get my gaming fix. I feel that people need to get a Nintendo DS Lite rather than a PSP Slim. I still have to get my hands on an Xbox 360. In the meantime, I keep playing my World of Warcraft.

There are other blogs in the works. But these five are probably what's eating most of my time at the moment. They're all in varying stages of completion- I still have to lay in the codes to bookmark individual entries for del.icio.us/technorati/digg, etc. plug in the adsense, add a few more widgets, etc.

Which means there's still a lot of work to do. But you'll still be seeing me around here. More about that on my next post. Until then, keep on blogging!

Cheers, everyone!

iBlog4: The 4th Philippine Blogging Summit!

2008-02-02T07:43:00.000+08:00

Janette Toral of DigitalFilipino.com shared this with us on Facebook.

iBlog4: the 4th Philippine Blogging Summit will be held at Malcolm Theater, College of Law, in UP Diliman, Quezon City this April 26, 2008. This event is organized by the University of the Philippines - Internet Society Program.

We would like to thank Alfox Computer Center for being our name badge sponsor. Parties interested to support this event can e-mail me at digitalfilipino@gmail.com

Registration, which will reserve your seats, stuff and schwag, and get you into our announcements mailing list, is now open.

Of course iBlog 4 is still FREE in the beer sense, as long as we can help it, free in the speech sense.

The program as follows:

9:00 - 9:20 Flag Ceremony, Welcome Remarks, Keynote
9:20 - 9:45 How to Blog (from a non-problogger point-of-view) - Charo Nuguid

You want to start a blog. You ask your problogger friend for help. The problem is he starts talking about keywords, SEO, and a few other things that you have totally no clue about. Google Ad-what? "I just want to start a blog!" If you're just looking for a way to post your thoughts on the web for posterity (and give your readers a few kicks every now and then) without the business talk, click here! (Or just walk through the door, sit down and listen!)

9:45 - 10:00 Sponsor Talk
10:00 - 10:30 Break
10:30 - 11:00 Student Blogging - Juan Karlo Licudine (http://www.pinoyblogero.com) A perspective and experience sharing from a student / blogger.

11:00 - 11: 30 Photoblogging - Juned Sonido (http://www.baratillo.net)

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. And there have been instances that it really has. A couple kissing. Soldiers hoisting a flag in a battlefield. A child fleeing a village bombed with Napalm. Or even a man skipping a puddle.
All are powerful images. As humans we have this drive to show pictures whether it be a holiday, a dinner, friends and family. And as such it comes to no surprise that a lot of people have been posting things on line from Facebook to Flickr. And then there are the photoblogs.
What are photoblogs? Are they the same photo galleries? Do you really need a digital camera to set up a photoblog? How does one set-up a photoblog? Will it cost much? What are the basics? Well this discussion will try to answer that and more.

11:30 - 12:00 Blog to Print - Jonas Diego (http://www.jonasdiego.com)
Bringing your blog content to the printed page. Updates on what happened so far with Jonas initiative on blog comics.

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 1:40 Vlog and Podcasting Prospects in the Philippines (Aileen Apolo - http://www.yougottech.com and Coy Caballes - http://www.thisiscoy.net)

1:45 - 2;45 Blogging and 2010 Elections Panel
(Janette Toral - http://philippineselection.blogspot.com)
- also invited Manuel L. Quezon III and Luz Rimban - to be confirmed

2:40 - 3:00 Sponsor Talk
3:00 - 3:30 Break
3:30 - 3:50 Blogging for Advocacy - Noemi Lardizabal Dado - http://www.filipinaimages.com

3:50 - 4:30 Blogging from the Countryside
Blogging case studies outside of Metro Manila

4:30 - 5:00 Closing Remarks / Group Picture / Raffle

At the very least, it gives me a chance to meet up with fellow bloggers, swap stories with old acquaintances, and meet new blogger buds. It's all about sharin' some linkage love!

Also, it's a great time to hang out in UP again- I think it's been at least 5 or 6 years since I last visited UP Diliman. They got great food places to check out- and that's another bunch of things to blog about.

Anyway, I just signed up for the event- I hope to see you guys there too!

Cheers!

Join the WikiPilipinas Filipina Writing Contest!

2008-02-02T06:59:00.000+08:00

Noemi Dado, a good friend of ours, gave us a heads-up on the special event via Facebook:

In line with the principle of honoring the diverse, beautiful, and powerful image of a Filipina, WikiPilipinas will launch a special portal, Encyclopedia of Philippine Women, inside the site which will compile and detail the achievements and triumphs of Filipinas everywhere.

Its sister site, Filipiniana.net, will also have a Philippine Women Microsite containing documents discussing Filipino women, as well as selected texts from the oeuvres of Filipina writers. Through a combined effort for advocacy, WikiPilipinas partnered with Filipina Images to help promote a more empowering image of the Filipina. By having an online platform to showcase Filipina intelligence and talent, the goal of developing more empowered Filipinas becomes achievable.

Many participants, through this project, will discover that they can help bridge the digital divide and promote gender mainstreaming and gender equality.

To promulgate the advocacy, WikiPilipinas.org and FilipinaImages.Com websites will launch “Filipina Stories", a writing contest with the mission of uplifting the image of the Filipina.

Here's your chance to put together an essay and share your thoughts, and win some prizes and props for doing so! Noemi adds:

I hope you join this contest. This contest also aims to raise awareness of the WikiPilipinas.org so that bloggers can eventually add content to the Wiki. For the contest, the WikiPilipinas staff will take charge of uploading your entry to the Wiki. After this contest, there will be a Phase 2 Workshop which is meant to teach us how to use the Wiki.

Be part in uplifting the image of the Filipina, the Knowledge base of the WikiPilipinas and meeting up with other bloggers on March 12, 2008. Remember you are not only writing about Filipino women. You will help uplift the reputation…remove the prejudice, not just against Filipino women achievers but against your mothers, sisters, daughters. Against You.

It's a worthy and noble cause- something definitely deserving of your attention, time and effort. Not only do you have a chance to win prizes, recognition and bragging rights, you also have (more importantly) an opportunity to interact with fellow bloggers and people who share a similar passion for writing, blogging and advocacy. So it should be a lot of fun- check it out now, funk soul brother!

You can find the contest mechanics, critera and prizes at stake, as well as more information and contact details there.

Cheers all!

You Gotta Multiply!

2008-02-01T14:26:00.000+08:00

Every blogger has to have a social networking service that allows storage of media files. The more notable of these sites are Photobucket, Picturetrail, Shutterfly and Flickr. But personally, I go for Multiply.

Just like many other social networking sites, Multiply allows you to post videos, photos and blog entries and share them with your friends (assuming they're in your network of course). It allows you to form groups and communities with other people who share your interests. And if you know a thing or two about CSS, you can go ahead and customize your Multiply page however you like. If not, there are a lot of templates you could use for your site, anyway.

But one of the coolest things about Multiply is that it provides cross-posting of blog entries. Which means your posts from Blogger/Blogspot, TypePad or LiveJournal can automatically get posted to Multiply (after a while), or the other way around.

Me, the most useful function of Multiply for me is that it acts as a repository of all images I might need for my blogs. There is virtually no limit to uploading photos- not that I need to upload so much. I just find it convenient to store all my pics in one site- organize em, share em, put notes and tags and all that.

There are a lot of other useful built-in modules as well, but I really haven't had the chance to make good use of them. Still, while I think I'm more of a no-frills kind of guy, it's nice to have the option of having the modules around in the event that I might feel like exploring that space sometime.

So go ahead and get Multiply. It's not only great for storing your media online- pics, vids and blog entries- it's also great for sharing and fulfilling all your community needs. Feel free to add me up when you've checked it out.

Cheers!

A Chat with Elaine of Yehey.com

2008-01-28T17:40:00.000+08:00

Interaction outside the usual blog channels should always be a part of your development as a blogger. It is through interaction that you learn not only how your blog fares along with other bloggers', but also far more importantly, gives you a chance to develop friendly, working relationships with other bloggers like yourself.

I see it as this blog's mission to somehow paint a picture of the blogosphere- both local and global. And as a naturally chummy person, I like tossing ideas around with fellow bloggers, clients and industry partners.

The guys of Yehey.com have been rather active in the New Media scene lately- and they have to! After all, the bulk of their business is pretty much online.

They've just wrapped up a very successful Bloggers' Food Tour (the one at TriNoma, some three weeks ago), and now they're inviting another one hundred bloggers to come hang with the brains and talent behind the HappySlip vlog series on YouTube- Christine Gambito herself.

(Which, incidentally is Thursday next week, 07 Feb 2008, at the Mag:net Cafe in Bonifacio High Street. The fun starts at 11 AM, so make sure you register with Yehey here so you don't miss out on all the HappySlip Gambito goodness!)

Anyway, I was able to catch up with Elaine Uy, Marketing Manager of Yehey (who was nice enough to invite me to the HappySlip event! Yay!), and I asked her how the Bloggers' Food Tour worked out for Yehey.com.

First off, I asked her whose idea it was to make use of blogs and bloggers to promote the TriNoma restaurants. Here's what Elaine said:

Yehey! has been in contact with TriNoma even before they opened their mall, trying to cook up a partnership on how to create a buzz online. Then the Taste Asia in MOA (The SM Mall of Asia) happened. Since Yehey! has been supporting the blogger community and because of the obvious success of the Taste Asia event, we thought of organizing our own for TriNoma.

I also wondered if Yehey! would be tapping blogs and bloggers for their upcoming promotional activities. Elaine gives us a rather interesting tip:

We will try to incorporate the blogging medium in most of our campaigns. Just like in our second event of the year, the Happy Slip Meet-and-Greet (done) in coordination with the Department of Tourism.
We’ve been also receiving inquiries from other companies such as Chowing, P&G, among others in organizing a blogger event for them. I guess most major companies now see the benefits of blogs and how it could greatly influence other people in patronizing their products or service.

Sounds interesting, doesn't it? But who's to say an event is an actual success? Take for example the last Bloggers' Found Tour at TriNoma, what would be Yehey's tangible measures to say, "Yeah, that event was a success"? Elaine says Yehey! keeps tabs on the results in the search engines and other community-based sites and the whole viral marketing effect.

So just how successful was it?

The result of the food tour is phenomenal that in just one week, there are 19 results for “Trinoma food tour” at Technorati, and a thousand plus results for Trinoma at Technorati. In Google, first page alone (of keyword "Trinoma food tour") is all about the event – first result is the Trinoma co-branded site. There are over 10,000 search results. And in Multiply, there are more than 400 blog results for "Trinoma Food Tour" and 750+ photo album results for the same keyword.

And so was TriNoma and Ayala Malls happy with the outcome of the event?

Yup, very much and better expect more events hosted by Trinoma. Given the results, TriNoma is planning on making succeeding events for their mall and possibly extend it to the rest of the Ayala malls.

What about the various participating food merchants of TriNoma? What sort of feedback has Yehey! received from them? Elaine shares this:

The best example would be the La Maison (hope you were able to meet the most accommodating manger, Mr. Robi Caguiat) that hosted an appreciation dinner for teamyehey the following week, thanking us for the exposure and raves they got from the tour. Even the band – Sound got in touch with us to see what bloggers got to say about their music.

Of course, who can forget Cabalen? I heard they offered AJ (of Bakla ako blog) for a free dinner for 5 or something like that. As you can see, these establishments- whether aware or unaware of what blogs are and what the internet is all about- have identified the promotional effect it could do to their brands.

Now there are a lot of other bloggers that have heard about the last Food Tour, and want to join the next event for bloggers. If Yehey! plans to mount more promotional activities with blogs and bloggers thrown in the media mix, and if there are other bloggers out there who would want to get in on the action, I asked Elaine what her advice would be for those who missed out on the last Bloggers' Food Tour.

Be more proactive and join the fast growing blogging community. More and more companies are sponsoring events for the bloggers. And who wouldn’t want free food, entertainment or what-have-you in exchange of your opinion and influence which you freely give out anyway?

Who wouldn't indeed? As for me, well, as long as there's free food, I'm there. I even have pictures to prove it :)

Cheers, everyone!

Blog About Stuff You Care About!

2008-01-28T07:31:00.001+08:00

I just read this article on the New York Times about "Blogging Your Way Into a Business". I find it interesting that regular folks like you and me can find their way into a lucrative enterprise by way of their blogs.

But here's the thing: I feel that this article, along with other features on other newspapers, magazines, even radio and TV shows, seem to perpetuate the idea that blogging for money is an easy thing. Maybe it is, maybe it's not- it totally depends on a number of things, in my opinion:

1> your ability to actually communicate effectively through writing,
2> your natural passion to share thoughts and ideas through writing,
3> your discipline and commitment to keep on sharing these thoughts and ideas,
4> and your aptitude towards picking up necessary skills and using them well, like internet marketing, networking, etc.

Read the rest of this article on my other blog, "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest: Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Yehey, TriNoma and the Hundred Hungry Bloggers: an Epilogue

2008-01-25T18:56:00.000+08:00

It's been a full two weeks since the TriNoma Bloggers' Food Tour organized by Yehey.com, and I thought I should do my fellow bloggers a service by posting a compilation of blog entries pertaining to the event (at least the known ones, to this point).

Sidenote: I received an email from the guys of Yehey! that the photos from the Bloggers' Food Tour have all been turned in for your scrutiny and approval, and voting is now open- so go check out the photos and root for your favorites.

A Compilation of Blog Entries on the TriNoma Bloggers' Food Tour.

As you know, the whole group of one-hundred thirty bloggers that attended the event was divvied up to five teams. We were all lumped together in the 'pink' team. As far as our team is concerned, we have these great reads...

Jomar Carlos' entry on "Java Joe's Coffee Corner"
Chef Myra's blog entry on "Myra's Site".
Christine Arteta's photos on her blog "Every Little Thing I Do Is Magic"
Pics on my Multiply site, "Get Your Geek On!"
JP on "Livin' La Venti Loca".
Paolo in "Your Mind Will Go Pi".
Omar has stuff in "Ohmski is the Law".
Betsy has two blog entries, here and here on "Psychcafe".

Here are our other fellow food bloggers' stuff...

Alvin Chua has a blog entry as well as a whole bunch of photos here on his Multiply.
Noreen Ponce-Lazaro and Arpee Lazaro on "Pinoy Life At Large". Lovely pics, guys.
AJ Matela's much-discussed, much-read experience at the Trinoma Bloggers' Food Tour! Oh, you'll want to read this one too.
Ed Arevalo has his posts here, plus a photo album on Flickr here.
Dementia of "Bury Me In This Dress" has her blog entries here, and her pics here.
Jan Renes' blog entry can be found on "JanMania".
You can find JM Tuazon's pictures here, and his blog entries here.
Jonas Diego on "The Blurb!"
Karen of "Kengkeedee" has her stuff here.
KingDaddyRich on "Row: Morning Boleros' Journey To The Seas".
Lalon dela Rosa has pics on "Underrated".
Laszlo of "...Does Anybody Remember Laughter..." has his stuff here.
Lord Artworks has his blog entry here.
Isay Almo has her blog entry here on "The World According to Nherz".
You can find some of Noemi Dado's TriNoma pics here, and Lauren has a post over here as well.
Here's Caint's stuff on "Coming Out...Almost".
Ade Magnaye has this to say on "Noisy! Noisy! Man!" Sorry about your work, dude.
Kring wrote this post about her experiences on the food tour.
And you have to check out this Video of Doom by Coy.
Poyt has her blog entry here on "Tanggera: Drunken Antics and Misadventures of a Vlogger".
Raffy of "Raffy's Sanctuary" has this entry goin' on.
Rens of "Pansit-eating Maderpaking Blog!" has this to share.
Here's Jonas' take on the whole affair on "Techieevangelism".
Brian of "Following Your Footsteps... Every Step of the Way"- pictures on Multiply.
Joriben of "My Divine Refuge" with his blog entry here.
Celeni of "Life Is Colourful with Souped Vegetables" has this rather extensive coverage on her blog.
Fritz of "Fritzified.com" covers the TriNoma Bloggers' Food Tour here.
Darwin wrote this one on his "JuiceLog".
Here's Jehzeel Laurente of "Jehzlau Concepts" and his posts on the Yehey! event. What's cool is that he's also got blurbs from other bloggers from the Food Tour. Including mine- cheers, mate!
Tess Termulo of "Prudence and Madness" has the first of her blog entries here.
Enrico Dee of "Byahilo: Ito ang Trip Ko" has some kick-ass pics here.
The guys behind "Barat Mode" have this to say about the Food Tour.
Here's something from Iggy Javellana of "Ka-Boom"

You can check out my other write-ups of the Bloggers' Food Tour here:

The floor-by-floor coverage. Part 1 of 5, Part 2 of 5, Part 3 of 5, Part 4 of 5, Part 5 of 5.
You can find pics on my Multiply site, "Get Your Geek On!"
Other sides to the story can be found here on my other blog, "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!"

You could check out my individual resto reviews on:

La Maison
Cyma Greek Taverna
Abe
Heaven N' Eggs
Others To Follow (Sizzlin' Pepper Steak, Jack's Loft and The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company)

Thanks to all the restaurants that participated! Special thanks to La Maison, Cabalen, Abe, Hossein's, Haiku, Cyma, The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Holy Cow!, Jack's Loft, TGIFridays, Italianni's, Fish & Co., Conti's, Mann Hann, Pho Hoa, Marina, Sizzlin' Pepper Steak, Mangan, Bangus and Heaven N' Eggs for allowing us to check out your wares.

To Bread Talk, Bacolod Chicken Inasal, Madison Grill, Superbowl of China, Good Earth Tea Room, Oki Oki and Teriyaki Boy- I totally missed out on you guys. I've read so much about your restos from other blogs. Too bad I haven't had time to check you guys out during the Food Tour, but I will soon when I drop by TriNoma in the coming weeks.

To my fellow bloggers- spread some linkage love whydont'cha? I hope to see you guys again soon at future blogging events. Also add me up on your Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Multiply or whatever networking service you guys have as well.

Thanks to TriNoma- you guys have a pretty kickass mall. We'll be visiting more often. Definitely much more often. Thanks to the guys of Yehey.com- we hope you guys have more events for bloggers coming up- and we hope you can let us know how we can make your efforts more successful- that's just the marketing/events dude in me wanting you to keep your clients happy so we can do this again :)

Cheers everyone!

Worry-free Blogger Templates at Blogcrowds!

2008-01-24T01:01:00.001+08:00

I suppose it is no secret that I've been trying out all these different kinds of templates on my other blog projects.

The usual templates provided by Blogger is alright- but as I may have mentioned before, it seems that I have a preference for 3-column templates.

Now, there area a lot of sites out there- both free and paid- which features quite a number of the 3-column templates that I like (in fact, I've added them up to the Link List to the right, under "Free Blogger Templates"), and a lot other templates.

Read the rest of this article here, on my blog dedicated to blogs, bloggers and the Blogging Lifestyle- "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Preparation + Opportunity = Success

2008-01-21T02:41:00.000+08:00

I remembered it hit me in the face when I saw it on an E! True Hollywood Story or something. It was a story about Keenen Ivory Wayans. You may know him as a successful and talented actor, comedian, director and producer- but for me, I will forever associate him with one of my most favorite sketch comedy shows of all time, "In Living Color".

Shout-out to my sister for getting me Season 1 on DVD, by the way. Great stuff.

Now from what I remember (I could be wrong, so bear with me), Keenen had always wanted to be a cast-member of Saturday Night Live- which has always been the benchmark for TV sketch comedy, even to this day. For some reason, he never made it into the show- but it didn't keep him from honing his craft, working on writing and directing and producing.

Read the rest of this entry here on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging", a blog on blogs, bloggers and The Blogging Lifestyle.

Cheers, everyone!

Fifty Posts and Counting. Now What?

2008-01-21T01:20:00.001+08:00

This blog- "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!" has already reached the fifty-post mark. Took me quite a while- probably about a month and a half of steady writing to build it up to this point.

Fifty posts should be sufficient enough content to somehow set the general tone for any given blog, as well as provide enough reading for any casual passerby curious about the work you've put together.

For me however, putting together fifty posts is really more of an exercise in discipline and structure. It's more of a habit-forming activity, and I'm glad that it had worked for me. In fact, when I get up in the morning, the first thing I do is log on to my Blogger account and put out a post or two- if not on this blog, at least on another upcoming piece of work.

So at this point, what's next?

Now that I feel that I have enough content, and now that generating content seems to take less of an effort- we can now focus our attention on marketing this blog.

That would entail reading up on Internet Marketing in general- and various blog-specific aspects of it- Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), directory submissions, link building, Social Media Optimization (SMO), and more importantly, perhaps- interaction with fellow bloggers.

So for the next few posts, you know what you'll be expecting- we'll be discussing more Internet Marketing strategies, while consolidating gains from the content-building phase of putting a blog together.

"Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!" will continue its direction as a blog-building resource for starting bloggers- an online source for tips and advice for anyone who wants to get into the blogging lifestyle. That has always been the grand plan.

Seems we still have a lot more work before us, so let's get to it, shall we?

I Like AddThis.com!

2008-01-20T01:58:00.002+08:00

In my quest to find out how they put little "Bookmark This!" buttons at the bottom of every post on your blog, I have managed to stumble upon (no pun intended) a rather useful service on AddThis.com.
As a blogger, you'll want the buttons from AddThis.com because of several reasons, all pretty much pointed out on their homepage.

1. It allows for easy bookmarking.
2. It helps promote your site.
3. It increases your rankings.
4. It reduces overall clutter.
5. It's easy to install.
6. It comes with free statistics.
7. It's very reliable.
8. It's free!

Read the rest of this article in full on my other blog on The Blogging Lifestyle, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Diddling with Del.icio.us

2008-01-18T16:42:00.002+08:00

I was playing around with my del.icio.us account the whole day today, mainly trying to figure out how to slap a del.icio.us script at the footer of each post, versus just having one at the side of my blog.

Del.icio.us is a free social software web service for sharing web bookmarks. See, there used to be a time when you'd bookmark your favorite websites from whatever PC you'd be using at the moment.

Del.icio.us takes all that bookmarking several steps further because, not only can you store all your personal bookmarks on an easy-to-use, easy-to-access online account, you can also share your bookmarks with other people, as well as check out what other people are bookmarking.

Read the rest of the post on my blog on The Blogging Lifestyle, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

A Disaster Recovery Program is in Order

2008-01-17T13:44:00.000+08:00

Frack it.

I got no one else to blame but myself. As I was toying around with blogger/blogspot templates, I must have inadvertently uploaded another template on my blog- "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!"

Doing so takes out ALL your installed widgets- pictures, text boxes, html codes, etc. No do-overs on this one- once you've hit 'save template', you just kissed them all goodbye. I thought I may have undone it pressing the 'back' button. And while I may have been able to salvage the old code, the fact that I have to insert bits of code all over again to bring everything you once had back can be quite annoying.

Which is, unfortunately, where I'm at right now.

But, "glass-half-full" kind of guy that I am, I see this as an opportunity to consider a serious disaster recovery program for my blogs.

1. The texts in the text-boxes, fortunately for me, I can get from an old archive I keep in my hard disk- so it's just a simple matter of cutting and pasting it back. Or, I could just say 'screw it' and enter in an entirely new Introductory Message and other shameless self-promoting material.

2. Blogrush. Blogrush is a handy blog syndication service that cross-promotes your blog into other blogs of the same persuasion. It's a good way to check out what other bloggers are up to, and makes for great material and networking as well.

3. Technorati. Gotta load that Technorati button back. This allows your readers to 'bookmark' your blog as a favorite, and share it with other bloggers, which in turn gives you more 'authority points'. This works on the model that a positive reader experience gives you more credibility, and therefore brings in more traffic into your site.

4. Twitter. I think it's a nice touch- giving your blog a little personal flavor, giving your readers an idea of what you're up to.

5. Multiply. Oh, just a badge that links to my Multiply, social networking fiend that I am.

6. RSS Feeds. Damn, I gotta find all the feed URLs and encode them back in. Fortunately for me, I think I've been able to save all those on Google Reader- *checking* - oh, good, there they are :)

7. My various link lists: have to build em up again from scratch- online buds link list, blog-building link list and others.

Well it looks like I still got myself quite an amount of work to do. So I'll check you out in a bit.

Lessons Learned Today.

Pick yourself a template and stick with it :). Back your files up, even on notepad; at least export your blog as an xml every so often.

Cheers everyone!

The Search for the Next Best Blogspot Template...

2008-01-16T18:32:00.000+08:00

Can you believe it? My whole day was pretty much spent on fickle-mindedly going through different Blogger/Blogspot templates for one of my blogs.

I'd have to say my benchmark design would be something like this one, on this blog, "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!"- a design I'm totally happy with; a template I see myself using for quite a long while.

It would seem that I have a preference for the 3-column variety of templates. I think the issue was more of trying to find the right design that looks nice, but at the same time is also functional enough to accommodate a particular load-out of widgets.

I suppose I'm just at a point where I'm trying out putting in all kinds of widgets only to see if it's something that works for me or something I really need.

End result: I'm still not entirely happy with the design on my other blog, "My Thoughts In Stereo". It's adequate for now, but somehow it doesn't seem to have the same clean design as "Blog. Blogger. Bloggest!"

Well, in a way, that's the beauty of Blogger/Blogspot- it's very easy to just chuck out a design and pick from any of the templates they've supplied, or you can go ahead and search for other free templates online. There really is a wide variety available, and when there are just so many to choose from, it's likely you'll end up trying out all kinds of templates until you finally stick to one.

It's already 7pm, and I have to get moving for a dinner date- so I suppose the quest for the next best template will have to wait 'til tomorrow.

Twitter, Twitter!

2008-01-15T12:49:00.000+08:00

I've just successfully put up Twitter on a few of my blogs.

Twitter is a free micro-blogging service, which enables you to post updates of about 140 characters long- enough for a short sentence, and enough to tell people what you're doing, what you feel or what you're going through with just a few words.

You can go sign up quickly for a Twitter account here on their website. Once there, you'll want to start looking for friends who are also on Twitter. Eventually, you'll be able to 'follow' each other through little updates you leave online.

Read the rest of my article on Twitter here on my blog about The Blogging Lifestyle, "Renzie On Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Toying with Technorati

2008-01-14T14:16:00.000+08:00

Seems like a real fun site. Technorati is an online service that allows you to keep track of other blogs from all over the world.

It works just like a search engine, you can search by topic, tags or keywords, keep track of your favorites, and visit blogs based on your searches, or by other people's recommendations.

Signing up to Technorati involves letting them know which blogs are yours- so you not only create a short profile (so other people can know a little bit about you), but you also create a list of all the blogs you author.

Read the rest of this article on Technorati here, on my other blog, "Renzie On Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Linking to Technorati

2008-01-14T12:15:00.000+08:00

As part of my efforts to promote this blog, and learn about promoting blogs in general, I have started to visit and understand various online networking services.

One such service, is Technorati. I've even gone as far as making my own Technorati Profile and see what it has to offer.

I was reading it up as well here on Wikipedia. More about this later on.

Cheers!

Squeezing The Most Out Your Stories.

2008-01-10T20:00:00.000+08:00

It is the day after Yehey's much-talked about TriNoma Blogger Food Tour. It was a rather hectic, but incredibly fun affair, and I can imagine my fellow bloggers hard at work right now, labeling and sorting through pictures, putting together posts for different kinds of blogs, linking up new acquaintances, etc.

Now, an event like yesterday's Food Tour has so much potential in terms of story generation- in fact, you can blog about it in so many ways.

As a blogger, you probably have a number of blogs in your blog-stable already, and you can come up with a variety of fresh content for all your reader segments, even with just one event. There are many angles to any given subject matter, event or story, and therefore many ways to write them up.

You can even come up with a whole chain of posts on the matter, or an entire series, pics and vids if you have them, and then cap everything off with a blog entry that brings them all together nicely.

Take the TriNoma Blogger Food Tour organized by Yehey! yesterday- I can write them up as...

1. A blow-by-blow account. I could talk about going from restaurant to restaurant, and about all the food me and my new blogger buds tried doing so, rating the restos as we went to each one. I made my own blow-by-blow account of the event here:

Part 1 of 5: Getting to Trinoma. The Bloggers' Food Tour is on!
Part 2 of 5: La Maison, Cabalen
Part 3 of 5: Abe, Hossein's Persian Kebab, Haiku
Part 4 of 5: Bubba Gump, Cyma, Jack's Loft + Holy Cow!, TGIFridays, Italianni's and Fish & Co.
Part 5 of 5: Conti's, Mann Hann, Pho Hoa, Sizzling Pepper Steak, Marina, Mangan, Bangus, Heaven N' Eggs + Event Wrap-up

2. A technical analysis. I'm a marketing/events guy, so I would naturally tend to observe how the guys of Yehey! and TriNoma put it all together, worked out the logistics, and basically made it all work.

3. A personal experience. I could go talk about which restaurants were everyone's easy favorites, or how our arms hurt by the end of the day lugging around all those goodies and food-to-go, or how we had to beg off on food by the end of the day because we just had so much. Check out my story and photos here on my Multiply.

4. Individual restaurant reviews. This would be great, especially if you've been able to have a leisurely sit-down, and had a chance to talk with the resto managers. You could check out my reviews on:

La Maison
Cyma Greek Taverna
Abe
Heaven N' Eggs
Others To Follow (Sizzlin' Pepper Steak, Jack's Loft and The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company)

5. A list of recommendations. It was my first time at TriNoma, and it had a lot to offer. To people visiting TriNoma, we could easily put in a good word for any of the many restos we visited. A lot of them were indeed very accommodating, taking time to talk to us about the food, about the business, etc.

6. More lists! People love lists of all kinds- come up with "The Top 10 Most Interesting Food Items", or the "TriNoma's 10 Must-Visit Restos", or "My New Blogger Buds".

So as you can see, that's a lot of stuff to blog about. And just looking at the list, I suppose I have to get to it!

Yehey for Yehey!

Much thanks to TriNoma and Yehey! for putting all this together. It was a fresh concept executed rather well. A lot of hard work, but it was pulled off rather nicely. Although the activity can benefit from a number of improvements, all the bloggers had fun, and was therefore a success for the most part.

Happy bloggers make for a good amount of buzz and word-of-mouth. I say more power to the good people of TriNoma, and everyone from Yehey!

Well done, guys. Well done.

For those of you interested in viewing the pics I took at the Bloggers' Food Tour, you can check em out on my Multiply right here. I have several more posts on the way on the Bloggers' Food Tour, and I'll have em up in a day or two.

Cheers!

Looking Back Fondly at 2007, pt.2.

2008-01-03T18:19:00.000+08:00

This is a continuation of the earlier blog entry, Looking Back Fondly at 2007, pt.1. I've covered January to March in the first part, so now we try to cover the rest with this post.

April

At this point, I suppose I've already had my fill of fun, so by mid-April, I thought it would be a great idea to get my house in order.

Specifically, it meant having a positive cash flow, whether through a business or a regular job. After all, my savings wouldn't last forever.

I was seriously eyeing opportunities in Singapore- which really was a great place to start fresh. I also considered setting up a couple of businesses- something to call my own, and something that can capitalize on my skills, talents and contacts.

While I started to toy with several ideas, there was nothing definite yet. But I had to figure something out quickly, and get the show on the road.

I also took the time to start working out, and so Cristina and I enrolled at a gym. Probably one of the best decisions we've ever made.

May

May 2007 saw a lot of jobhunting. I was targetting BPO/KPO companies, as well as multinationals. Eventually, I landed a job as a copywriter/researcher for an Australian company called Trixan. Seemed promising enough at the start, with an adequate package and enough free time to allow me to work out and do the other things I wanted to do.

As for my businesses, one was going to be a travel agency. Another was going to be a marketing communications company.

There were a couple other projects I wanted to get off the ground, but I suppose they could wait for now. After all, I only have so much time on my hands.

June

And so I worked on the papers for my two new companies- OceanBlue Tours, Transport and Travel Marketing, interMedia Strategic Marketing Solutions. and Felt great to finally be a small business owner.

The plan was to slowly build them up- and launch them by the 4th quarter of 2007. It was at this point that I started to get into New Media and Internet Marketing once again.

My stint as a professional content developer seemed to be working out alright.

On a sidenote, I've injured my left arm working out. Probably over-exerted myself some.

July

On top of my writing/editing duties for Trixan, management thought it would be a great idea to have me do more Search Engine Optimization efforts for the Trixan websites. I realized then that SEO was definitely a lucrative and marketable craft, and I was just all too happy to be at the forefront of it all.

To hone my writing chops some, I started a couple of blogs, and discovered that it was something I could really get into. Didn't occur to me at the time that you can blog professionally though :).

August

August saw the "unholy" alliance of my fellow Trixan writers and myself. I suppose we were all entrepreneurs at heart, really. So after some venting and scheming, and dreams of world domination, Money Talks! was born.

Initially Money Talks! was an effort of my marketing communications company, interMedia Strategic Marketing Solutions. But it started to pretty much have a life of its own, so in short order my partners and I decided to turn it into a separate company altogether- an events group nicheing on entrepreneurial workshops and seminars.

Was still doing SEO work and content development stuff for Trixan, though things weren't looking well for their local business partner here, a BPO/KPO provider known as Global Sky- for me (and several others), it seemed to be more of a fly-by-night operation, and many of the employees simply weren't happy.

Still, as long as it didn't interfere with our work, I really couldn't care less.

September

I knew by this time that I wouldn't be staying with Trixan for long- so I started stepping up efforts with my other projects, specifically my blogs, businesses and other efforts.

Fortunately, though quite unexpectedly, an FM radio station contacted me and we started to talk about doing work together. That station turned out to be 105.1 Crossover, and we started tossing around some ideas and doing exploratory talks.

It was at this point that I decided to immerse myself in learning more about New Media, Blogging and Internet Marketing- to the point of making a viable career out of them.

The Money Talks! workshops and seminar series would help our new entrepreneurial endeavors, and would help make things happen for us. Later on, it did.

October

The very first "Blogging For Money" was quite an eye-opener; it completely convinced me that professional blogging is definitely the way to go. Although our event didn't do as well as we had hoped (because of the explosion at Glorietta the day before), it gave the group valuable field experience.

Also, I officially joined 105.1 Crossover as its new program director. I suppose radio really is in my blood. No matter how I try to re-invent myself, the industry somehow manages to pull me back in.

November

I turned 34 this month. Unlike my other birthdays, I feel strangely fulfilled this year: so many changes, yet the changes were all good. I have a lot of things to show for this previous year, and it looks like another promising year.

But I decided to re-organize my life once again; though two full-time jobs were bringing in quite an amount of money, the truth is, it can really work a number on your well-being. It's not doing well for my work-life balance.

So I decided to let go of the Trixan job. I thought I could now pursue my pro-blogging interests- and thus write about stuff that really matters to me- you know, fun stuff. I could still do SEO and SEM on the side, as they work really well with blogging.

Money Talks! had its second "Blogging For Money" workshop. This time, it was at The Podium, and we were so much happier with the turnout.

At this point, I decided to reposition interMedia as a New Media company- one that aims to synergize New Media efforts with traditional. It's gonna be awesome.

News comes in from my folks in the US: Dad has been diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, and is not expected to live long.

December

Mom and Dad wants us to spend Christmas together. So we went ahead to work on our US Visas. Seems they were giving out 5- and 10-year multiple entry Visas at the embassy. My brother and I each get a 10-year. Nice.

In short order, we get tickets to LA. I had myself booked for a flight back before the New Year.

Nevertheless, we've been able to spend time together as a family for the first time in fifteen years. Everyone was happy; I try not to be overly moved by the drama of it all, but it was totally awesome. I'm not discounting the fact that I'll be moving to the US in the not-too-distant future, with Cristina and God willing, our two lovely kitties- the Chloe and the Noobie.

Final Words.

So yeah, there's 2007 for you. Just like good little soldiers, we move on and concentrate on the task at hand: the here and now.

Here's wishing a productive and prosperous 2008 for everyone- may it not only bring you good fortune, but also give you the opportunities to make things happen for you.

Cheers everyone!

Looking Back Fondly at 2007, pt.1

2008-01-02T18:45:00.000+08:00

Man, 2007 was a really good year.

That just about summed it up. It's actually the second day of the new year today; I'm writing this entry as I take a break from my mundane music research duties at the station.

I was probably too gung-ho with the plans I laid out for myself for 2008, or maybe I just decided to relax and take it easy instead of partying (old fart that I am). It just occurred to me that I haven't taken the time to have a look back at the year that had gone by, just to appreciate the good things we had goin'.

So here goes...

January 2007

It was honestly a rather scary, uncertain time for me in January: I was fresh off my 10-year stint at Mellow 94.7. And while I was celebrating my new-found liberation, there was a part of me that was asking, "So what next?"

Radio had been a major part of my life. In a way, it's my comfort zone. I know I could make something big for myself- I just realized that I didn't really have a solid plan just yet.

February 2007

Major spending spree: with the early retirement money I got from my old company, I earmarked some for setting up a business and some more for travel.

The rest? Aw man, I blew it all on all kinds of toys and games and gadgets- almost like I was making up for recreation time lost at work.

Among them, a new top-of-the line PC for playing all the new games like Neverwinter Nights 2, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Medieval Total War and Battlefield 2142. It had a whole lot of hard disk space for all my recreational downloading, and as long as I got broadband, everything was gonna be alright.

Also got matching 30-gig Creative Vision-M's for me and Cristina, as well as a brand new Palm, graphic novels, and a whole lot of Justice League action figures. Nice.

Had my passport renewed, and got really hooked on Battlestar Galactica- I must've finished seasons 1 & 2 just this month alone!

Family dropped by as well: Tita Ne, Tita Gilda, Uncle John with cousin Giles, and Uncle Ferdie all came in for a vacation to the Philippines for a few weeks.

March 2007

Two things: Singapore and World of Warcraft.

Spent the earlier part of the month with Cristina in Singapore. Yeah, it was our 6th anniversary as a couple, but it was cool because it was our first vaction together with no work in mind. I realized that from that point onwards, vacations have got to be like that.

Also started getting into blogging, but not seriously just yet.

I've been more of a Guild Wars guy up to this point, because I always thought I never had the time to fully appreciate World of Warcraft. But hey, since there was no job to get in the way of things, and a perfectly new gaming machine sitting majestically in the middle of my room- why the hell not, right?

World of Warcraft remains as one of the most addictive games currently installed on my PC. Plus, Cristina's hooked on it too. The couple that plays together, stays together, right?

-----------------------------

More of my reminiscing of the year gone by coming next. Still have to cover nine more months! Coming up- Looking Back Fondly at 2007, pt.2!

Building Your Online Authority Through Your Blogs.

2007-12-22T06:02:00.000+08:00

Even as I write this blog on blogging, I know I'm hardly an authority on the topic, knowing that there are so many others who have come before me- bloggers, and various other blogs about building a better blog.

The beauty of blogging, however, is that everything you write about is all about you and your experiences. Who knows? Maybe in a few years, I might actually just turn out to be a blogging guru of sorts. Or some authority figure in some other way.

Read the rest of this article on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging", right here.

Cheers, everyone!

Business As Usual.

2007-12-22T04:02:00.000+08:00

It's actually been quite a while since I last blogged- almost two weeks ago, in fact.

First of all, I had some issues with my left hand. The base of my left thumb suddenly decided to have a case of ostreoarthritis (at least I thought that's what it was). It really wasn't so bad at first, until the swelling became worse- the fluids spread to the other 'compartments' of my hand, restricting movement, and causing quite an amount of pain in a few days. So for a while there I couldn't type very well, or play my PC games, or handle a guitar fretboard, or even hold an xbox controller. Effectively, I only had one functional hand/arm. At least it's all better now.

Then, I had to make preparations to go on a trip to be with my folks in Los Angeles. I was able to schedule my US Embassy interview, get my US visa (yay!), book my flights, and get things done at work for me to get here- all within two weeks.

So here I am, Day 2 of my stay with my folks here in L.A., typing away at this quaint little Italian Deli/Restaurant called Fratelli's (which I'll be reviewing separately on another blog)- all too happy to be back online, blogging away to my heart's content.

So many things have been going on, so many things to write about. Let's get back to business, shall we?

Trinoma, Yehey.com and The Hundred Hungry Bloggers.

2007-12-11T02:55:00.000+08:00

Renzie's Note: The TriNoma Bloggers' Food Tour finally pushed through on 09 January 2008. One-hundred fifty bloggers were invited- and with an invitation to eat the best TriNoma has to offer + win some prizes- how could you say 'no' to that, huh?

Read up on my blow-by-blow coverage starting here. You can also check out Food Tour pics here on my Multiply, and read another of my write-ups here.

Cheers!
-------------------------------

The Trinoma Food Tour kicks off in a couple of days, and already the local blogosphere is abuzz with promises of real-life networking coupled with feats of rampant and wanton gluttony.

OK, so maybe I'm exaggerating.

But Yehey.com did make the announcement last week, and one hundred brave bloggers answered the call- already licking their chops, readying their gear and doing some preliminary networking with the others.

The destination: TriNoma- that swank new mall at the corner of EDSA and Quezon Avenue. To be completely honest, I've never been there myself, and I suppose this Food Tour would be the perfect opportunity for me to check it out.

Are You On The List?

The Food Tour happens on Thursday, 13 December, at 2-ish in the afternoon. As you would probably expect, the invitations were snapped up like hotcakes, as bloggers were required to register beforehand with Yehey.com.

Special thanks to Ms. Noemi for giving me an early heads-up- I think I was the 45th person to have made it on the list. If for some reason you've submitted your details to Yehey, but haven't been contacted yet, it's probably worth your while to check if you're on it. Have a quick look the list The Hundred Hungry Bloggers here, or maybe you can give Yehey! a quick call, just to make sure.

I've actually been in touch with a few who have submitted their details but haven't received their confirmation emails yet. But that was a few days ago, and I'm sure Yehey has been able to straighten things out by now.

What's The Plan, Stan?

Quite an ambitious feat, I would imagine, for Yehey to keep the bloggers organized for the duration of the event. Check out Trinoma's participating restos here.

All bloggers have to register when they get to TriNoma on Thursday. They will then be grouped into five "expedition parties"; each group (of 20 bloggers) being marshalled by a Yehey! rep, and then led to one of five food areas to check out.

Each group has 30 minutes to sample as much as they can from the food merchants in the designated area before moving on to the next area. Eventually, all groups will have tried out all the food 'zones', and be totally stuffed out of their mind.

Dude, that's two-and-a-half hours worth of eating. You move to a merchant, eat some, then move to another, and eat again, and keep on doing that for 150 minutes.

The event will be capped off by cocktails, a raffle, and swag bags for everyone.

Things To Do at the TriNoma Food Tour.

Just a little heads up for all those attending- more than being just a massive food treat from the good guys of TriNoma and Yehey, the Food Tour is a great time to do some real-life networking, not just with fellow bloggers, but also with potential clients from the food merchants.

Take lots of pictures, and take down a lot of notes, maybe even blogging on the fly. There's sure to be whole bunch of things to write about.

If you feel like doing a little homework, get to know some of your fellow bloggers beforehand- especially you share common interests with. Trade contact details, swap stories, and exchange those very valuable links to each others' sites!

That being said, I will see all you other ninety-nine chicks and dudes at the Food Tour. Let's eat, drink, be merry and blog all about it!

Cheers!

Tips For Bloggers.

2007-12-10T13:02:00.000+08:00

I suppose it doesn't matter whether you've only just begun or if you've been at it for a while. There are some rather basic things we can all come back to from time to time. Here are a few tips to consider if you're seriously into blogging.

1. Write now. When you have the urge to hammer away at a keyboard and churn out some words- go right ahead- there's no better time than right now!

2. Write regularly. It's all about setting a rhythm- not only for your readers, but also for yourself!

3. Focus. Know what you want to write about and stick to it. If you want to write about something else, well you can always have another blog :)

4. Let your personality show. Your blog is all about you!

5. Write for your target audience. Can't please everybody. At least appeal to the kind of people you want to keep coming back.

6. Offer something fresh. This is where the effort comes in. Or sheer luck. You never know when an idea is going to be big, right? So keep those ideas comin'.

7. Offer something useful. It's great to come up with something interesting. But it's even better to come up with something useful.

8. Be neighborly. If you want others to read your blog, read others' blogs too. Drop a comment, interact and even cross-promote! All about the linkage, baby!

9. Instead of writing long, looongg paragraphs, stick to short ones. Makes it a lot easier to read, and it's easier on the eyes.

10. People love lists!

Read the full version of this article here on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

The Blogging Lifestyle.

2007-12-09T20:20:00.000+08:00

In my opinion, the beauty of blogging is that it complements any kind of lifestyle.

You can be a fashionista, a political pundit, a geek, a fitness buff, movie critic, or be just about into anything- whatever it is, it works with blogging. All it needs, really, is a genuine desire to be interactive and share your experiences with the world.

Read more about blogging and the rest of this article on The Blogging Lifestyle here on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Blogs, Bloggers and Blogging.

2007-12-09T20:15:00.000+08:00

Blogs (short for Web-Logs), are essentially online showcases of a person, usually posted for all the world to see.

Blogging is just like writing something on your journal, except that this journal is now online, and that (depending on how much you want to share) it is available for people to interact with.

When you do maintain a blog, you are in effect, a blogger. And there are thousands of bloggers out there all over the world, blogging on so many different things.

Read the rest of this article on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Build Your Portfolio.

2007-12-07T23:29:00.000+08:00

I was with a friend the other day, and just like me, she's just started blogging recently.

So we've been talking about how blogging can open so many doors for anyone: not only is it a great way to practice writing, and general English use, it's also a springboard for learning other cool stuff like internet marketing, SEO, programming, digital photography and graphics.

So after a while we started talking about what our plans were for blogging- basically, exactly how do we see ourselves as bloggers.

Right off the bat, she said she wanted to write for other companies- which really wasn't a bad idea. After all, one of the companies I worked with recently paid their copywriters quite the hefty sum as long as they churned out quality material. I'm down with that; writing for a company helps give you discipline and structure, and helps you build a body of work.

Read the rest of this article here on my other blog- a blog on blogs and blogging- "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

My Review of the Asus Eee PC.

2007-12-06T16:11:00.000+08:00

Since my first post about my acquisition of one of these sexy Asus Eee PCs, there have been a number of posts and comments- more like questions, really- asking me what I think about it. So here's my effort to give it a personal review, hoping that this will be of help in your decision-making process- whether to get one of these babies for you, or not.

First Impressions:

The Asus Eee PC is small and light. Cute, you might even say. I prefer to call it sexy. Folded up, it's probably half the size of any regular laptop.

That's my Sony Ericsson K608i and a can of diet 7-Up right next to it, on my office desk at 105.1 Crossover.

It's got almost everything essentially built into it, including a cam. No CD/DVD drive, and very little hard disk space. But it does have 3 USB ports, so feel free to attach any variety of removable media into it.

What I Currently Have On It:

My Asus Eee PC has Windows XP installed on it, with Office- since I need to send and receive files from clients (who mostly use Office). Otherwise, I would have just gone for a Linux Operating System with Open Office- it works just like MS Office, only it's free.

For protection, it has AVG anti-virus, Zonelabs for a firewall, and Spybot for added protection.

I have Firefox to browse the internet. Utorrents for added fun, and VLC Media player to play just about anything from movies to music files.

My work files are stowed away nicely in a variety of flash disks- which I can plug in to any of my desktops whether I'm at work or at home.

Cons:

One of the biggest cons for me is, since it IS a small laptop, it does have a small keyboard. Which doesn't bode well for my fat fingers. It's not really so bad, it just takes a little getting used to.

The storage space could be a bother. With XP installed, I have about less than 2GB to store files in. Thankfully, I do have a whole bunch of flash disks and even larger capacity hard disks, so it really isn't much of a big deal.

It also has no CD/DVD drive/burner. Again, no big deal since you can easily transfer whatever files you need to burn onto another PC with a CD/DVD writer.

Pros:

It weighs less than 1kg- which means, it's just as heavy as a pair of jeans folded up. Non-bulky, incredibly compact and very light- it means that's one less bag you have to lug around.

Don't worry about messing up the hard disk as it gets jostled around in your bag. The solid-state hard disk means it works just like a flash disk- so unless you run this thing over with a small truck or use it to self-destruct on one of those Mission:Impossible intros, you're rather assured that your stuff remains fairly intact.

It fires up pretty quickly, and automatically searches for wi-fi signals in the area. Great for going online outside if you have to.

The battery on a full charge gives you a little over two hours- which in my case, is more than enough to blog in the cab on my way to work, which is actually what I'm doing right now.

Renzie's Final Word.

If you work a lot on the go, or if you're very much into blogging, the Asus Eee PC is definitely for you.

Just don't expect to run any heavy programs on it. That's what your PC or your Mac is for. In fact, the Eee PC works best in conjunction with your other PCs at home. Think of the Eee PC as handy little PC you take with you on meetings and other out-of-office/out-of-home business functions.

If you want the pastel colors though, they'll be available in January 2008- at least that's what I heard. Mine's in black, but the store I got this from also carries models in white- which was also selling like hotcakes.

Students would also appreciate this baby- assuming of course, that they could get mom and dad to get them one.

Blogging My Way To Work.

2007-12-06T16:04:00.000+08:00

Currently, my everyday commute from home to work takes about an hour in a cab. I usually take the time to do my phonecalls, prepare my to-do list for the day, or scribble down a few notes.

As some of you may have already read, I have acquired for myself one of these sweet Asus Eee PCs. Which means I could actually take out this sexy little laptop and do some work on the way to work.

Or blog while I'm on my way to work.

I simply can't stress it enough: when you're a blogger, if and when the urge to write hits you- by Bob, you better get down to writing.

Thoughts are very volatile stuff. You could have a nice idea, or a well-worded insight, or some rant or rave you have working in your mind at the moment, but as you may have noticed- that can all evaporate just as quickly as it was formed in your head.

Thus, the urgency to blog as soon as you can. Can't get any fresher than that, right?

Rockstars of the Local Blogosphere!

2007-12-05T19:15:00.000+08:00

Here's something interesting: www.basapa.com has released the 2007 Top Pinoy ProBloggers.

Can't get any heavier than that- what we have here are the most successful local bloggers around. They have their legions of adoring fans and readers, they got influence, they know how to market and monetize their blogs- truly inspirational for beginner bloggers like myself and many others.

Me, I just feel fortunate to have met some of these stellar individuals in person and even had had the chance to pick their brains some.

And yeah, I look forward to meeting the rest of them someday through some other blogging social of some sort. Or work with them. Or something. I'll work out the details some other time :)

In any case, you can read more about the selection process here, and how it was able to come up with this list.

Here's a summary of the chicks and dudes who made the list. Much deserved, ladies and gentlemen. Check them out here, if you wanna see their mugs too.

The 2007 Top Pinoy Pro-bloggers
------------------------------------

1. Abe Olandres. Yugatech.com, Pinoytechblog.com, Pinoytravelblog.com, Motorcyclephilippines.com, Pinoyblog.com, Pinoyurbanblog.com, Smartwifi.org.ph.
-personal note: we've had the pleasure of having Abe as our speaker for our "Blogging For Money" workshop series. Indeed, he da man!

2. Bryan Boy. Bryanboy.com

3. Carl Ocab. Carlocab.com

4. Rhiza Sanchez. Guitarchic.net, PinkSEO.info -personal note: caught her at this year's SEMCON, where she gave a very informative talk on advanced link-baiting techniques (I think...).

5. Eugene "Seav" Villar. Vaes9.codedgraphic.com, vistapinas.com, blogenyo.codedgraphic.com
- personal note: met this dude at the b5media Bloggers' mix-up. Nice guy.

6. Eloisa "Bratyfly" Sergio & Jojo "Dyu". Pinoyblogosphere.com.

7. J. Angelo Racoma. Racoma.com.ph

8. Rickey Yaneza. Rickey.org, Pinoy.rickey.org

9. Connie "Sassy" Veneracion. Pinoycook.net, Houseonahill.net, Sassylawyer.com, Pinoymomsnetwork.com, Pinoyfoodtalk.net, Pearloftheorientseas.com

10. Kevin "Kiven" Codamon. Codamon.com, thatdamnpc.com, gamesindustrywire.com, problogger.com.ph

11. Shai Coggins. Justmakemoneyonline.com, Shaicoggins.com, Aboutweblogs.com, Selfhelpdiva.com, Ewritelife.com, Chrysaliscreativity.com, Freshwave.tv
- personal note: met her at the b5media Bloggers' mix-up- in fact, she organized it!

12. Eric Salas. Salaswildthoughts.blogspot.com, lakaw.com

13. Sustines Laplana. selaplana.com, songlyrics.selaplana.com, narutoshippuuden.selaplana.com, cellphones-for-sale.blogspot.com, philexamresults.com, motoristangpinoy.com

14. Andrew dela Serna. alleba.com/blog

15. Karlo Licudine. Pinoyblogero.com

16. James Ryan Jonas. pinoymoneytalk.com.

17. Shari Cruz. Misteryosa.com.

18. John "Jaypee" Habaradas. Jaypeeonline.net.

19. Jayvee Fernandez. abuggedlife.com, cellphone9.com, blogandsoul.net.
- personal note: this dude gave a very entertaining talk on dealing with copywriters at the last SEMCON. plus he was at the eCommerista nights, as well as that last Bloggers' Mix-up night.

20. Noemi Lardizabal-Dado. Aboutmyrecovery.com, nimrodel.net, pinoyfood.nimrodel.net, blogged.the-protagonist.net, filipinaimages.com, thevoipresources.com
- personal note: met her at the b5media Bloggers' mix-up- plus, she was nice enough to let me use some of her photos on this blog!

21. Marghil Macuha. macuha.com, textmates.blogspot.com, blogtimizer.blogspot.com

22. Tess Termulo. tesstermulo.com, health.tesstermulo.com

23. Melissa "ANP" Atienza-Petri. parenting-weblog.com, flyaway-weblog.com, wandalust.com, europestring.com, roadgladiator.com, pinayexpat.net, escapeblog.com.

24. Markku Seguerra. rebelpixel.com, lyrics.rebelpixel.com, photo.blogger.ph, pro.blogger.ph, builder2.blogger.ph, pinoyidol.blogger.ph, bb.rebelpixel.com.

25. Anton Diaz. Anton.blogs.com.

26. Julius Rocas. Jrocas.com.ph.

27. Rico Mossesgeld. thesmartpda.com, bayanihanblogs.com, fool45.com

28. Ruth Schaffer. biotech-weblog.com, allergizer.com, eatingfabulous.com, nextninemonths.com, letsvisitasia.com, about-ruth.com

29. Noel Bautista. searchengine-weblog.com, unpluggedliving.com, onlineadswami.com, noelbautista.com/blog.

30. Paolo Mendoza. paolomendoza.com.

31. Richmond "Retz" Ruiz. retzwerx.com, talentado.com.

32. Dexie Wharton. sheknowsbest.com, styleitless.com, styletots.com, forks.ca, hell.ca, superwoman.ca, soapsonabc.com, feistymomma.com.

33. Mike Abundo. insideonlinevideo.com, mikeabundo.com, emergingearth.com
- personal note: met this dude at the b5media Bloggers' mix-up. Nice guy.

34. Gloria Gamat. daily-diabetic.com, straightfromthedoc.com, cancercommentary.com, daragang-magayon.com.

35. Sasha Manuel. tops2bottoms.com, the-parody.com, stylemanila.com, lightthetorch.net, datinggames.com, truthandtravesty.blogspot.com, hanging-out.blogspot.com.
- personal note: met her at the b5media Bloggers' mix-up- in fact, she organized it along with Shai and the good people of b5media!

Also:

Grace Ibay, Elymar Apao (met this guy a few times: at the tsikot.com party, then again at the Bloggers' Mix-Up), Manuel Viloria (this dude I met at one of our talks on "Blogging For Money"), Ria Jose, Phillip Kimpo, Jr.

Verry Eenteresting...

2007-12-05T18:42:00.000+08:00

Holy crap!

I was at the eCommerista Night 2.0 event last night at Mag:net cafe. Though the turnout wasn't as big as the last one, this one was still quite alright. I showed up with one of my business associates, and by the time the night was over, we already have at least three speakers lined up for our next few events, and the promise of future projects and collaborations.

Andrian Lee has always been such a fun speaker. What struck me was a little story he shared: that, recently, Facebook use in the UK has actually exceeded email usage.

Wow, that huge, huh?

And not entirely unbelievable, I suppose. Run a Google search on Facebook usage in the UK, and you can already get a feel of how widespread -as well as controversial- Facebook is.

Apparently, everyone in the UK is doing it- and is extremely hooked on it. Heck, if you have Facebook, you know it's easy to get addicted to it. So much so that companies have banned Facebook outright at the workplace. While BBC has, in a recent newscast, reported that employees should be allowed to use Facebook on breaks, during lunchtime- and the controversy just goes on.

So is it really a surprise that Facebook use can, one day, replace our need for email? We can email family, friends and colleagues on Facebook anyway, right? Lay down some smack on a few vampires, share and tag photos, give virtual drinks, and even flirt online?

Heck, I'm addicted myself. I've even RSS'ed Facebook straight into my Gmail accounts. That way, I don't miss out on the moment someone throws sheep at me. Whatever :)

More interesting facts: the Philippines accounts for one-third of all Friendster activity online, and up to a quarter of all worldwide activity on Multiply.

It's really all you need: Facebook, Multiply, and Friendster. OK, Myspace, if you have toh have a fourth one. Good God. Have we really too much spare time on our hands?

Quelling the Self-Doubt Inside You.

2007-12-05T18:10:00.000+08:00

When you're just starting out your very own blogging career- just like me- you can easily get overwhelmed jumping from one blog/site to another.

As blogs and blogging have steadily gained popularity, you'll find a wide variety of material out there- stuff you'd like to read, stuff you'd like to comment on, stuff you'd like to link to and share to your friends.

Take for example this great read on this year's most successful Pinoy probloggers. It was a brilliant post. The fact that I have actually been able to meet some of these guys was just, for me, awesome.

Then you realize- damn, my blog is nowhere near these other guys' blogs! So you suddenly get hit by a wave of self-doubt and get rattled by the realization of how puny you look next to a whole bunch of other blogs.

At least, that's how I feel.

Read the rest of this article here, on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

Learning to Use RSS

2007-12-03T19:41:00.000+08:00

If you're going to be a blogger, RSS is going to be your new BFF.

That's really simple syndication for RSS, and best friend forever- at least until the next great new syndication technology comes along.

In any case, as a new blogger, you're probably checking out websites and other blogs for new content. After all, you do need to draw inspiration from someplace, right? You'd like to see what other people are talking about, have your own perspective on things, and react to what other people have to say.

In the course of your meanderings through the internet, you would most definitely find a couple of sites that you would find more interesting than others- new favorites that you would usually then add up to your bookmarks.

Now it used to be that you would have to visit and re-visit your favorite bookmarked sites to get updates on new stuff they have posted up, right? And a lot of us actually still do that.

But if you have a LOT of favorite sites, and a LOT of stuff you want to keep tabs on, then keeping yourself updated can get a little tedious, done this way.

You might even miss an important update, and it can take you the whole day to check out all those sites- assuming of course, you even have the time to do all that checking!

RSS helps you out with that- and to know more about how RSS can help you build a better blog, or how it can save you lots of time keeping up on all your favorite sites, read about the rest of my post on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

How Much Cash Do Bloggers Make From Blogging?

2007-12-03T15:06:00.000+08:00

Remember just a few months ago how we had a couple of workshops on Blogging For Money? The idea really was to show our participants how to make extra cash by putting in a few hours a day churning out a few posts on a blog worthy of attention.

Yes, you can blog for money. Some locals actually have gone completely professional, and have foregone a regular job to do just that: blogging.

The real question is, how? How can you make money from your blog?

The answer to this seemingly very important question can easily elude the amateur blogger. And while most blogs are really a labor of love more than anything else, it doesn't really matter to a lot of people if they make cash or not.

Read the rest of this article here on my other blog, "Renzie on Blogging".

Cheers, everyone!

My New Asus Eee PC

2007-12-03T02:40:00.000+08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I am the proud owner of a new Asus Eee PC! Just like the one in the pic to the right, except that 1> mine comes in black, and 2> no chick comes with the standard retail package. Check out the specs right here.

At any rate, it's charging now right next to me. Got it from Virra Mall earlier this afternoon.

Dang, I really couldn't help it. I first saw this baby at last Friday's Bloggers' Mix-up. A fellow blogger of ours- Juned, I believe- took out his brand new Asus Eee PC, and in just a short time, everyone was positively raving about the cute little thing. You can check out the pics taken by Noemi here, and even more pics here.

I got it for just a little over Php17,000.00. It's a great little toy if you want something compact (just about the size of a hardbound book), comfortably light (it weighs a little less than 1kg) and functional- especially if you're into blogging, doing a lot of presentations, or just working a lot outside the home or office.

Don't expect too much though: it doesn't have much hard disk space. The Linux-run models have about 4GB of space on them, but if you install XP on it, you'll probably be left with less than 2GB. Not much of a problem, since you can attach any array of removable media (whether a flash disk or a full external hard disk) through its three USB ports.

Despite the limited hard disk issues, the Asus Eee PC works like a charm: it allows you to go online, whether through a broadband cable or via wi-fi, thereby enabling you to go on Skype or Yahoo!, check out your mail, hit Facebook, watch videos on YouTube, and (most importantly) blog! Aside from the USB ports, it also has a card reader (who needs CD/DVD drives now?), a built-in camera, mike and speakers, and a solid-state disk for excellent shock protection.

Officially classified as a subnotebook, it's not hard to imagine the Eee PC to be an instant favorite not only by bloggers, but by students, regular office people, entrepreneurs- just about anyone who's into the market for a decent notebook or laptop.

Personally, the Eee PC works best with your other PCs (your home or office desktop will still be the mothership). It's not designed to be your main workstation; just the cute little computer you take with you when you're working on the go. Bring along some removable hard disks or flash disks, and you're pretty much set.

Let's see how this baby goes in the next few weeks. I'll keep you posted.

Who Are The Bloggers In Your Neighborhood?

2007-12-03T02:15:00.000+08:00

After last Friday night's event, I thought it would be a great idea to feature some of the blogs (and possibly, other works online) of the bloggers I have actually met. Expect to see some of the ones I met last Friday featured here in the following days & weeks. Naturally, we'll be hearing and reading more from others as I keep attending these cool blogger mix-ups and other special events.

Write Now, and Keep On Writing!

2007-12-02T02:23:00.000+08:00

One thing I've noticed is that, sometimes when you compose an entry for your blog, it's such an easy thing to get distracted.

Particularly when we're at a time when publishing systems- such as this one on Blogger/Blogspot, and even the ones on say, Wordpress or Livejournal- are so easy to use. Since you can easily add links, pictures, change fonts, colors, etc. it's so easy to get lost just tweaking something on the fly.

So here's some useful advice:

Once you think about something worth blogging, get down to typing it right away. While it probably wouldn't matter if you go use Notepad initially (then just upload it whenever you can), it's still best to write straightaway into your blog.

Once you start typing in your first word, keep on typing. Forget about inserting pics and links, or stuffing in keywords, or editing or whatever. Keep churning out those entries while everything is still fresh in your head, while your train of thought is still running on track.

You can always edit later. The most important thing, really, is to get that post out right away.

In The Company of Bloggers.

2007-12-02T02:21:00.000+08:00

Shai Coggins and the local crew of B5Media organized a quaint little Bloggers' Mix-Up last night at Kape Isla in Serendra at the Bonifacio Global City. No agenda, really- just a wonderful opportunity for fellow bloggers to meet, hang out and relax a bit, talk shop, and do some networking through good ol' fashioned human interaction.

It was the first time I attended an event like that. See, I was thinking that if I wanted to be a serious blogger, I might as well check out how the other (more serious, more seasoned) veteran bloggers are doing. Plus, I like the idea of socializing outside my usual circle- make some new friends, gain a few new contacts, relax with people into the same thing as I am- sounds good, right?

And it was good! The organizers (the b5Media crew) were able to close off Kape Isla that night just for the party, and it was filled with a sizeable band of 20 to 30 bloggers from everywhere- many of whom already know each other, but there were also those just like me, who just started blogging, and also just started getting to know these cool chicks and dudes! That's me, by the way, chatting it up with Carlos Castellon of MarketPlace 2.1.

Shai played the gracious host, spending a little facetime with everybody who showed up- and I gotta hand it to her and Sasha (of StyleManila.com, who I found out last night, turned out to be her sister!) for working up the crowd really well with great company, with food and drink for everyone, even raffling off some cool prizes for those present. That's Shai, btw with Toni Tiu and Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

I won myself one of these cute little art journals- which I found out later on, was handcrafted by Shai herself (so I had her autograph it!). She sells these babies online as it turns out. I thought it would've been cool if it were locally available; they'd actually make great Christmas gifts and giveaways :).

Of course, just as in any fun social gatherings like these, you have cameras flashing everywhere! So, here are some pics- these in particular were taken on Noemi's cam (and posted on Facebook for all to see!).

All in all, it was a great night. I met several new friends, learned a lot of new stuff, snagged myself a cool art journal, scoped out the new Asus Eee PC (which we'll talk about more on another post), realized that digital photography and blogging go hand-in-hand (which means, after I get me that sexy little Asus Eee PC, I should get me a good SLR), tried out a cool new venue at Serendra (first time I checked out Kape Isla- you should come visit when you're in the area), ranted about the whole Trillanes fiasco, and traded insights and ideas with fellow local bloggers.

Cool. This should be a great opportunity to check out their stuff online too. Which I will do, right after adding them up to my Facebook account!

Thanks Noemi for the pictures! Cheers!

My First Bloggers' Mix-up.

2007-12-01T15:58:00.000+08:00

One thing I noticed back at that Bloggers' Mix-up was that, apart from blogging, everyone was trying to capture the moment somehow.

You had at least 5 or 6 cameras on at any given time, taking pictures not only of everyone who was there, but pretty much taking pictures of things that caught their attention- like Juned's Asus Eee PC at the time.

At another table across the room was Azrael capturing the whole occasion on video through his laptop, and even interviewing guests for his internet show.

Being the newbie blogger that I was, I was watching everything unfold before me, soaking up on the experience. What I did realize was that, being a blogger means you would eventually get yourself into:

1. Digital Photography (so yeah, this is my first assignment for myself. So I have to bring a camera with me wherever I go. That's a pic of my cat- Chloe.)
2. Digital Audio-video: viral videos and podcasts (I think I can already do podcasts- being a radio dude. Still learning how to do viral vids.)
3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) (This I'm already learning actively now. Thus the blogs.)
4. Programming. (I admit, this will probably be the hardest for me, since I'm not exactly the IT-oriented type.)
5. Photoshop. (I admit, I'm not exactly the most artistic dude in the neighborhood. But I suppose learning the basics will still be well worth it.)

And probably any other marketable skills you can imagine overlapping into your blogging lifestyle.

The event was a melding pot of talent and creativity. I like it that ideas were continuously sloshing around- everyone contributing and sharing and discussing with everyone else.

So for all of you who'd want to get into blogging, there you have it- get ready to get into a whole new bunch of crafts, and not just blogging.

As for me, well it seems that I may have to get myself a decent SLR soon enough. Give me a few weeks to save up for one. :)

Shake Yer Head...

2007-11-30T18:08:00.000+08:00

I feel that I should write something about what has happened recently.

See, normally I wouldn't really care. I just don't. Which was funny, coz I even had a streak of activism in me back in college. And while most of that idealism is gone, there are just some things that, no matter how you look at it, are completely, totally wrong.

Yesterday, there was a standoff between Senator Trillanes' people (who dug out a foxhole for themselves at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati), and the government.

Apparently upset over the proceedings of yesterday morning's hearings, Sen. Trillanes and his military escorts walked out of his trial (for the Oakwood Mutiny back in 2003), headed straight for Manila Pen, demanded that GMA (President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) step down, and enjoined other Filipinos to come join his cause.

Naturally, the government wasted no time flexing some muscle by surrounding the hotel with troops. The result was a 6-hour standoff, that pretty much got everybody glued to their TVs, radios and internet as the drama unfolded.

I for one, am not a supporter of Trillanes. But I believe that, for him to feel this way, he must have gone through so much. I feel for the guy. I'm just saying that he's fighting for what he believes in, and I respect that.

I believe, however, that he has overestimated the support the military and the civilian populace would give him. It would have been an entirely different matter altogether if, after his public call to arms, the military and everyday people would come rallying to his side.

But that did not happen at all.

I know for a fact that a lot of people are unhappy with the Arroyo administration. I'm not a big fan, either. In my opinion, however, he failed to consider one important thing.

Public apathy.

Most people just don't care anymore. All we want to do, really, is just keep on working, making some cash so we can pay the bills and put some food on the table.

Yes we'd watch TV, listen to the radio, get updates via SMS and the internet. There would be those who agreed with Trillanes, and those that disagreed. But only a few have really taken to the streets to stand up for what they believed in.

So here was the government, lobbing tear gas cannisters to force out Trillanes and his crew, who stood their ground as long as they could with their makeshift gas-masks.

Now here's a kicker- what really struck me was an image of a military APC attempting to crash right into the lobby of Manila Pen through the front door. Wow, what were these idiots thinking? Clearly, I don't see any reason why you should drive a perfectly good (well, obsolete-ish) V150 right smack into a hotel? Man, these guys have been watching too many B-movie action flicks.

Seriously.

So anyway, everybody files out, including Trillanes and his crew, who essentially said something to the effect of, "so that there would be no bloodshed, let's end this", media and journalists included.

I expected to see Trillanes get hauled off by the military. But the media? Wow, what kind of fascist regime is the Philippines turning into? They were only doing their jobs; I see no reason for them to be "processed" just like the rest. Heck, go "process" the hotel staff. Or anyone in Makati for that matter.

Later on, a curfew was declared. A curfew. At a time when more people earn their livelihood working at night: call center people, taxi drivers, night shift employees. That night, some 450 people were arrested because of the curfew.

Ridiculous. Do you actually think they'd actually catch some seditious elements that way? Patrolling Emerald Ave. and Ayala Ave. for a few wayward call center employees? Please.

What kind of message is this giving us? It's buffoonery like this that makes people lose so much hope, shake their heads and walk away.

Or eventually riot. Eventually.