Guzzle Less Fuel, Please

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!

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Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Blog?

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?

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Blogging Full-time Now

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!

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Blogs Make For Great Business!

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!

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Blog About Stuff You Care About!

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!

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Preparation + Opportunity = Success

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!

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Fifty Posts and Counting. Now What?

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?

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Toying with Technorati

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!

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Looking Back Fondly at 2007, pt.2.

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!

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Looking Back Fondly at 2007, pt.1

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!

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Blogging My Way To Work.

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?

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Verry Eenteresting...

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?

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Quelling the Self-Doubt Inside You.

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!

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Write Now, and Keep On Writing!

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.

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In The Company of Bloggers.

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!

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My First Bloggers' Mix-up.

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. :)

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How Many Blogs Can You Maintain?

Indeed, how many blogs can you realistically maintain?

I got into blogging in March 2007. I knew nothing about how to start a blog, or what it was for, or what good it was to your everyday life.

Shortly after starting out with my first blog, I suddenly realized that I wanted to have a blog for each of my various interests. Soon enough you had one for music, another for TV and movie reviews, and then another on PC gaming, then one came up on business and marketing, followed by one on cats, another on writing, and it just went on and on.

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

Cheers, everyone!

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How Serious Is Your Blog?

I just came from a highly informative, highly entertaining workshop on professional blogging. Of course as the discussion went on, there were lots of questions forming in my head- mostly on wanting to know how my blogs currently stacked up against pro-bloggers (professional bloggers :)).

More like, I'd like to know how much more I have to work on before I can actually be considered a serious blogger of any sort. And, well, as to be expected, it seems like I have LOTS more to do.

Your blog has to have anywhere from 50 to 100 posts to be considered a serious piece of work. Wow, that certainly sets the casual bloggers apart from the passionate ones, huh?

I get this. If the whole point of the exercise is to create a positive online experience for a reader- or just anyone casually dropping in on your blog- you really want to have enough stuff for your readers to sift through. Can't have 'em going through an empty blog now, can we?

That should also be enough material to establish the tone and pattern of your blog, show off some personality, and give you enough to showcase your knowledge and expertise on a particular topic.

While possibly daunting at first, 50 to 100 posts really is a good thing. It shows the amount of time, thought and effort you've put in to your blog. It gives the readers a better idea of what your blog is all about- and can therefore make it more likely for them to link to you, and keep coming back for something new and interesting. It allows you to market your blog, if you so wish, for ads, and more interestingly, for some cash.

50-100 posts should equate to just a few weeks, if you blog at least one post a day. And if a habit is supposedly formed in 21 days, by the time you've hit your 50 posts, you're so much into the blogging habit that it's totally effortless for you to put up a post or two.

So keep going at it. Keep churning out content. Good content- stuff you know people would like to read and stuff people will keep coming back for. Forget about the money, or carving out a niche for yourself, or building up rep- this one is all about making your blog a worthwhile labor of love more than anything else.

Let's get to it then!

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One at a Time...

I suppose I've realized it's one of my failings. I always try to get into too many things at any given time.

Take for example blogging. See, I know it's probably a good thing to just have ONE MAIN BLOG. You know, stick to what you're really passionate about and come up with an all-encompassing theme and just focus on JUST THAT.

After an inspiring workshop with Abe (last October 20, with Money Talks), it was supposed to be all clear- have a focus. If you want to have a blog working well for you, have a clear focus (aside from other useful tips he so generously shared).

Okay, so maybe I've gone a little over-enthusiastic and came up with, like, ten or twelve blogs or so. Could be more- who's keeping track anyway?

I got one for pretty much every single facet of my 30-something lifestyle- writing, music, business, cats (lasercats!), pc gaming, tv & movies, stress management, radio, marketing- well, you get the idea.

Perhaps the best way to go about it is to consolidate the little blogs into a certain interest-group blog, and then those into one main blog.

Yikes! More blogs!

There's no problem, I suppose, with having 50 million blogs. But you can only dedicate so much time to churning out content- which you can only post on a finite number of blogs- unless you have an entire army of keyboard monkeys on a constant mindlink to your brain at your disposal. Which is rather unlikely in most cases.

Let's think of it now as a restructuring of sorts. Pretty much in the same way as we re-evaluate our lives every so often, the so do we re-evaluate our online lifestyle. Has to be done, right?

Good God, maybe it's just me. Over-obsessive-at-times little ol' me.

But what the heck. It starts today, with this blog :) More later.

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Has THIS ever happened to you?

It was just a little bit past midnight. I was settling in for the day, just about to squeeze as much sleep as I possibly could before my 4:30 AM alarm goes off. It almost always happens- random thoughts play around in your head as you try to doze off.

What-if's and why-not's and how-come's and what-the's.

And then it happens. A Eureka! moment.

Hey, that's a really good idea, I thought to myself. I'll dwell on it more tomorrow when I hit the crapper. I toss around a little bit, ready to get that much-needed sleep.

No, you gotta hear this one out, says a fragment of my personality. This one's really good! Gotta write it down before you lose it.

OK. I reach out for my phone and type away at the keypad, trying desperately to form the idea into words, so I can get back to it some other time- like when I've already had some sleep!

No, not good enough, man, persists yet another voice in my skull. Get up. Do some research. Make plans. Now.

I half-stumble in the dark and fire up the PC, apparently whipped into action by some unusual sense of urgency. I go online, do a little bit of research, look up some facts, and after a few minutes- settle down with the kind of satisfaction that said, "Nice. This idea can really work out."

The various personalities inside my head congratulate each other. Now, we have vision. A clarity of purpose.

And hopefully, we get to see this baby materialize in a few weeks. =)

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