I have this ultimate and rather obscene fantasy. In this fantasy, there's this one person who digs like mad through my blog archives in the dead of the night-- every night, finding pleasure in reading all the words I've written before and always in eager anticipation of what I will write about next. Always wondering about what I have to say and clinging to my words and opinions as if her very life depended on it -- as if there is no better opinion on earth but mine.

Photo by Laughing Squid

To this person, whatever I write about is worth gold. It doesn't matter if I fail horribly with my grammar or if what I write about doesn't even make sense. Because to this nocturnal being, my blog and words are as alive as I am -- and that is all that matters. It may not be the most rewarding of human relationships but it's the next best thing, she thinks.

If I told her 'so and so' is the best, she would believe. If I told her 'this and that' is a lie, she'd take my word for it. Yes, she's completely capable of thinking for herself but she chooses to believe me just because she wants to.

I could sell her anything I want to, even the very soul she already has -- and she will buy in a heartbeat. With such conviction. Without the slightest reservation. Without questions.

She is that ultimate blog reader. One who sees your blog as no separate entity from you, the blogger. One whose respect for you is intertwined with eternal fascination.

But the bad news is she doesn't exist.

When I started out with blogging, I started fairly the same way and for fairly the same reasons as others before me did and had. All I wanted was to chronicle my life experiences one day at a time so that one day, I or someone I cared about can recreate that one specific day like a photograph -- like a picture, yes, but this time, with words.

I know 'a picture paints a thousand words'. My blog hopes to do the reverse -- to recreate the picture in your mind through a 'thousand words'. Little did I know that it would require much more effort than I prepared for or that I would end up writing about politics (as if my life as it is isn't boring enough).

Eventually, as with many things in my life, the blog took a life of its own and chose to go out into the words, unescorted, deep into the night. You can say that it had its expected encounters with wolves, monsters and aliens. While every step was fraught with danger, it's not without its occasional meetings with friendly animals and there were countless times when it was awakened by serenades from nightingales.

It's easy for a blog to get lost in the woods. But the problem doesn't end there.

Most times, the blog takes a reader with it and both of them get lost. That's where 'responsible blogging' comes in, as if on cue, reminding the blogger to look before he leaps because most times, he doesn't leap alone.

You the blogger reading this, have you ever realized how influential a blogger you've become? Yeah sure, you may not be such a hot shot yet but has it ever occurred to you that it's possible someone from somewhere follows you blindly into the woods every night?

Have you ever thought that each time you come home after an evening of dalliance with your charming post, someone is stuck somewhere deep into the woods? Lost. Or worse, never to be seen again?

It's really great that you give readers these wonderful distractions otherwise known as insightful articles. Go right ahead and woo them effortlessly like you always do. Take them every night into the woods with you. But when you've made your point and before the night is through, please be kind enough to take them back with you. It's the least you could do in exchange for what they've given you -- their trust.

Because, remember that ultimate blog reader I told you about?

What if she does exist?

What if she's GMA? :)

Be careful how you wield that sword. We don't want anybody to get hurt. Responsible blogging is not just a choice. It should be the only choice.

*** Blog responsibly. Nothing could be easier. ***

Popularity: 1% [?]

Photo by enggul** My apologies to my foreign friends/readers: I had to write this entire post in Filipino in honor of our 111th Independence Day. Please use Google Translate widget at the rightmost side if you need a rough translation. Thank you. **

Ngayong ika-111 taon ng kalayaan ng mahal kong Pilipinas na kumupkop sa aking mga ninuno at kukupkop sa susunod pang salinlahi, ipinahahayag ko at pinagtitibay ang mga biyayang angkin ng aking kalayaan:

Ako'y malaya, (I'm free)
Sa anumang uri ng pang-aalipin -- ng dayuhan man o kapwa Pilipino (free from slavery)
Sa pang-aabuso ng makasarili at mapag-imbot na tao (free from abuse)
Sa anumang uri ng pananakit -- pisikal, mental, emosyonal o pulitikal
Sa pang-gigipit ng taong nasa kapangyarihan (free from threats of power)
Sa pananakot ng kapitalistang mapagsamantala (free from economic threats)
Sa pagpili ng nais kong relihiyon o paniniwala (freedom of choice)
Sa pagboto ng ninais kong lider (right and freedom to vote)
Sa panloloko ng mapanlinlang na mga pulitiko (freedom from political "swindlers")
Sa kagutuman, sa kahirapan, sa krimen. (free from hunger, poverty and crime) Continue reading →

Popularity: 1% [?]

Photo by looking4poetry

You guessed it right, dear. Manuel "Manny" Villar. No, it's not the "Itik" commercial that plays several times a day during "primetime" Philippine TV. No, it's not the "OFW assistance" commercial that played regularly months before You guessed it right, dear. Manuel "Manny" Villar. No, it's not the "Itik" commercial that plays several times a day during "primetime" Philippine TV. No, it's not the "OFW assistance" commercial that played regularly months before "Itik". No, it's not because he's impossibly rich. No, it's not because I lived 15 years or so of my life in Las Pinas City. No, it's not the hair. It's not his eventual resignation as Senate President following that road budget "insertion" controversy. No, it's not the consistent double digit figure in polls conducted by SWS Surveys or Pulse Asia or whatever.

Villar to me is a viable candidate for President in the upcoming 2010 Presidential Elections (let's cross our fingers that we all get to vote on that day, and that we actually have the chance...I'm sure you are all aware of the possibility of No-El in the context of a Cha-Cha via Con-Con or Con-Ass...haha..what amusing shortcut terms..). While a lot of people might say that Villar is banking on the merits of having risen from poverty to riches to fame and power, let us also remember that it a fact that we can't really argue with. So let's give him that. And speaking of surveys, November 28 - Dec 1, 2009's SWS Survey re: "Choices for President in 2010":Villar clearly shows a steady ascend at 27%. He may not be at the top yet, but hey, it's workable.

De Castro - 31% --- Sure, this is high. But where's he gonna get the money? And if he does "find" funding, how's he gonna pay it back?
Legarda - 28% -- Oh, please.
Villar - 27% -- Villar for President in 2010!
Escudero - 19% -- Nah. Too inexperienced. Stay at the Senate please.
Lacson - 14% -- Too involved with self.
Estrada - 11% -- His time has come and gone.
Roxas - 10% -- For personal reasons, I would have to say "no comment"
Binay - 2% -- Not a chance.
Bayani - 1% -- Ditto.

As of now, I don't have much time to expound on this idea or the reasons by which I arrived at this decision or choice. But, rest assured, when I do have the time, I shall write about it in full passion and conviction. For now, I leave you with this rather dry and short post. I am sorry if this will leave you hanging -- bewitched, bothered and bewildered. While it's a lame excuse for you to come back again and visit this blog for that "comprehensive post on the decision to vote for manny villar for president come 2010", I know that the loyal reader that you are will never let me down. And well, of course, you can expect the same from me. So, come back soon, eh? *hugs*

Popularity: 4% [?]

Photo by 19melissa68

As if the CARP issue and the alleged continued corruption are not enough to contend with, DAR is now faced with another issue of headline material -- this time, a story that if only for the news sources that covered it and the blogged story of the family member who was there with the victims, you'd seriously think this story is merely lifted from a movie scene or a usual mauling news printed in the inside of tabloids. And although the DAR chief didn't have direct participation, he stood there watching the events unfold as if a bemused spectator. Continue reading →

Popularity: 1% [?]

Photo by bobster855

1. Filipinos are hopeless romantics.

Oh, we know this all too well. We are in love with democracy. Nothing wrong with that, really. What's wrong is when we play the part of the naive girl who gives her all to the man of her dreams who turns out to be nothing more than a professional "playa" who toys with feelings and leaves you for "dead" when he's got what he wanted. Oh, the tragedy of it. Thing is, in this analogy, I speak of a single victim. But, as it relates to us, there are more or less 90 million victims --- now, that's a lot of "naive girls". And boy, do the future seem gloomy..

Continue reading →

Popularity: 1% [?]

Edit: Embedded video of SONA 2008 below.

Watch live video from Live Philippine TV on Justin.tv

Okay, the President's SONA is due Monday, July 28 -- so I've heard. I wonder what sort of PowerPoint-style presentation we'll see this time. I'm not a fan of the President's SONA (State of the Nation Address) and I have to admit that I've seen only quite a few. If you want to know why, that's because like many Filipinos, I grew tired of watching/listening to SONA's. And why won't I be? There are far more reasons not to watch it.

But in light of the crisis we have found ourselves in the midst of, it suddenly dawned on me that there is no better time to watch the SONA than on Monday. Continue reading →

Popularity: 1% [?]