Archive for the ‘blogging’ Category
Filed under blogging, events, technology
Yay! WordCamp is coming to town! 
I didn’t think it would ever come to the Philippines. It would be the first WordCamp in Southeast Asia, thanks to the folks at Mindanao Bloggers who organized this event.
WordCamp, by the way, is a conference where Wordpress users and developers discuss codes, tips, and updates.
I’m obviously a Wordpress fan. I’ve used several other platforms, but Wordpress is a class all its own. I switched to Wordpress in 2006 because I thought its themes looked more professional. I have since discovered a thousand other reasons why it is the best. I like that I have more elbow room to customize my blog. I like that it is much easier to optimize. Heck, my blog in Blogdrive used to have a page rank of five, but it rarely showed up in the SERPs.
So, Wordpress fans, let’s see each other on September 6 at the College of St. Benilde, Taft Avenue, Manila.
Actually, my current schedule doesn’t allow me to be there, but I am praying that I could twist somebody’s arm so she’d give her consent. I will be there!
Special thanks to the sponsors:
Filed under blogging, events
Two big events are about to happen in Cebu: the 17th Visayas Area Business Conference, which will be held here for the first time, and the Mandaue Business Month, both of which will run in August.
In preparation for these events, the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry through event chairman Wilson Ng tapped bloggers in Cebu to help promote the province and help disseminate the events lined up for the celebrations.
His group invited 15 bloggers to a press conference on the Mandaue Business Month yesterday at the Sinulog Ballroom of the City Sports Club. The event was graced by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, and attended by businessmen, sponsors, journalists, and of course, bloggers.
It was the first time that bloggers were tapped to help promote events and products. Our wish is finally coming true!
I mentioned this to Mr. Ng, who said that they are exploring other forms of media.
It used to be that only the three newspapers (CebuDaily News, Freeman, SunStar) are invited to events like this. He said that, compared to newspapers, the reach of blogging is unlimited. I could only nod in agreement.
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Filed under blogging, events, technology
Update: There’s an archived presentation here.
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The curious cat in me signed up as soon as I heard that there would be a webinar on Google Webmaster Tools, Google Analytics, and Google Website Optimizer. I was already familiar with Webmaster Tools and Analytics, but I hadn’t tried Web Optimizer. Besides, I was looking forward to helpful tips from the experts.
I had to stay up late, but it was worth it. The teams behind the three tools introduced their products, highlighted useful features, and gave some tips. Michael Wyszomierski discussed Webmaster Tools, Jeff Gillis discussed Analytics, and Tom Leung talked about Website Optimizer.
Why trifecta? I was curious about this so I looked it up. I learned that, in horse racing, trifecta is a way of betting in which one predicts what horses would come first, second, and third. (I think I’ve done this. I once won a nickel at a horse park in Kentucky.)
The speakers explained that the tools were intended to play parts in a three-step process. Webmaster Tools is for driving traffic, Analytics is for analyzing traffic, and Website Optimizer is for keeping the traffic in the site.
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Filed under blogging, events
When I first came to Cebu, I often wished that the blogging community here was more active. In fact, I was the only blogger present when Aileen Apolo first came here as Google representative in 2006. Around the time I left Manila, the bloggers there were starting to come together. I’d always hear about blogger events in Manila and Davao and I’d feel bitter.
I did fly to Manila once to attend an event (I might even fly again this weekend), but I couldn’t do that all the time, because of course, plane fare doesn’t come cheap these days. All I could do was drool when they write about how much fun they had.
Imagine my delight when Kevin told me that there would be a bloggers meet-up at the Bo’s Cafe near my place. He said Davao bloggers Winston and Blogie were going to be there, and wanted to meet the bloggers in Cebu. I had heard of them both when Davao bloggers were introduced at this year’s iBlog4.
It was then that I remembered someone say at iBlog4 that a Davao blogger would be moving to Cebu for awhile and might help organize the Cebu community. I had put that at the back of my mind because I was more concerned with keeping my eyes open.
The meet-up was last Sunday, June 29. There were only a few bloggers who showed up, but it’s a start, so I guess it’s okay. In addition to those already mentioned, there was Aldrin, Rodel, Xerxes, Mark, Paul, Rio, Wilhelmina, Francis, Wilson Ng, and The Max Limpag. (I was starstruck when I realized who he was. He used to give talks in journalism workshops back in college.)
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Filed under blogging
I have a confession to make: I vote in Pinoy Big Brother.
I am not really a fan, but I catch glimpses of the show whenever my housemates watch it. I vote because the kids I deem deserving are not topping the lists, so I spend a few pesos to try to help them.
On that same principle, I am choosing my picks for the Top 10 Emerging Influential Bloggers List. Whenever I check the list each week, I am not too happy with what I see. Although I do not live not a socially relevant life, I still believe that being influential means being socially relevant.
1. Vera Files. I salute these women for living what they preach. This is a young group formed by six veteran women journalists, two of whom were my professors in UP Diliman. They taught me well, although it is not always obvious. I am amazed that to this day they haven’t stopped creating ripples. They are already creating waves in the news.
2. Filipino Voices. I first heard of Filipino Voices from Jester-in-Exile. Some of the bloggers writing in it were the ones I argued with frequently on issues back when I was this passionate and idealistic kid. I am amazed that bloggers coming from different shades in the political spectrum and representing pole-to-pole opinions can write under one banner. That is the spirit of democracy.
3. The Not SO Talented DJ Montano. Of course I remember the libel law. Of course I remember responsible journalism (and thus, responsible blogging). But I bend all those in support of Brian Gorrell. Down with the Gucci Gang!
That caps my list. I don’t intend to add anything to it, although I might change my mind if I find something worth reading.
Of course, I qualify for the contest, my blog being two months old. If in case you were hit by a lightning and you thought of nominating my blog, please, please give your vote to Vera Files instead. I am only the second blogger to give it a point.
Filed under blogging
I am so relieved. 
I thought I would have to reinstall the blog and start all over again, because it seemed no one knew what the problem was. I messed up my database configurations while trying to install a photo publisher on this site. It was just my stupidity, really, and I had no updated backup of my files and databases. The last backup I made was last month. That was when I only had two short entries and this blog was as barren as a desert.
No thanks to my webhost who did not even respond to my trouble ticket to say they are working on it (they never do), this blog is up and running again. I’ve been pretty much on my own since the beginning, doing the trial-and-error thing.
Lesson: Always back up everything. I would have wanted to switch to a more responsive host, but mine is the cheapest around, so I guess I am stuck with them.
Filed under blogging
There’s an experiment going on that aims to find out how long it would take to list one million blogs.
I’ve added my blogs to the list. Quest for the True North is at #1575, and Little Light is at #1576.
Go ahead and add your blogs, my beloved three readers.
I am curious how many blogs there are on the web. I wonder if there is a way to find out?
Filed under blogging
It seems that everyone is still talking about the iBlog4 Summit. I was there, actually, although it was like I wasn’t.
I skipped the morning session and dozed through most portions of the afternoon session. 
I was late, I left early, and I kept going out in between talks, thanks to my friends who were outside and texting me every now and then so we could eat, stroll or just hang out in the Sunken Garden. (I hope none of the organizers ever read this).
I’m the kind of person who can skip anything except a good night’s sleep. I had worked until the wee hours that morning, and only had time to go home and pack my clothes before I left for the airport at 3:00 a.m. Yep, I had to fly in from Cebu.
I got in on the first flight, so I thought I could go to the summit early. But as soon as my head touched the pillow for a quick shut-eye, I lost my resolve to go and forgot about the summit.
It it weren’t for the beep of an sms I received at around noon, I wouldn’t have woken up. I dashed to the venue to find out that they were having lunch already. I didn’t have the guts to show up and claim my free lunch, so I stayed in the Sunken Garden and watched the Team Sunburn Garden play football.
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Filed under blogging
At last, I have my own domain! Yipee!
Welcome, friends and lurkers!
