My Blog is a…Finalist?!
Wow.
And I mean W 
W.
My worthless blog has made it to the 2007 Philippine Blog Awards as one of the finalists for the Personal category.
Wow.
*fans self with hands*
Can’t…breathe….
This is totally unexpected.
I made it, along with blog buddy Mae Paulino (whom I’ve met at the Blog Parteeh), school and college-mate Victor Villanueva a.k.a. Bikoy (who’s also a fellow Stand-UP member), super famous writer and blogger Jessica Zafra (who undeniably rules the universe), and Pompe disease victim Juan Magdaraog (me, me, Shari stalks his site sometimes).
And because I always have this annoying habit of trying to make sense of unbelievable things, I checked the Criteria for Judging and wondered why the judges picked [on] my site. I definitely have no money to bribe them (but maybe I will, haha). My ex-boyfriend broke up with me because I didn’t satisfy him in bed enough lololol, so I can’t possibly offer my humongous body. I wonder…. 
Content - 40%
Content serves as the bulk of the criterion. In the same way that good publications are read for their content, good blogs are read because they are informative, relevant and well thought through.
What content? 
Since when has my blog been “informative, relevant and well thought through”? I’ve got to be one of the most random bloggers on earth, jumping from one topic to another, all in just one post. I do come up with some sensible things from time to time, like, for example, my take on legalizing divorce in the Philippines and the boycott Nestlé campaign. I sometimes write about my lovelife — or the emptiness of it. I can be really bitchy when [sometimes] provoked, but I do care. Ahem, all I know is that I’m weird, spontaneous, and unpredictable (dammit, sorry hehe). ‘Nuff said.
Design - 10%
This refers to the blog’s design in relation to its content. Design takes into consideration the look and feel of the blog, from the placement of links, use of images, feeds, headers and ads.
What design?
*looks around* 
You mean the blah header, and the small font size, right?
:shake;
Appeal and Context - 15%
If content is the cake, appeal is the icing. This refers to the blog’s engagement factor with readers. There may be several blogs that talk about technology for instance, but for some reason, this blog is highly visited not just for the information, but for the personality behind the blogger. This is how much star power your blog has.
What appeal?!!!
Haha. Star power? 
For someone who writes awful awful awful poems when she was still 10 years old, I think that needs to be questioned.
Consistency - 15%
This refers to the posting frequency of content. This does not necessarily mean that the blog has posts on an everyday basis. This means that a blogger has the diligence of updating the blog on a regular basis be it once a week, twice a week or every day.
Hmm. Maybe? But I started blogging “regularly” just this year. Thanks to last month’s Blogathon, I kinda got used to posting frequently. Just in time. 
Mileage - 20%
Mileage refers to the blog’s circulation throughout the blogosphere. Trackbacks, special mentions and the number of outgoing links are taken into consideration to determine if this blog is truly an authority in its niche.
Well, yeah. I guess so. All thanks to these blogs, and these people. They have my utmost love for the never-ending support. 
So…I’m glad to be a part of this. As I’ve mentioned lots of times before, I have never joined site-related contests in my 7 online years. Win or win (because I’ve already won, just having readers and commenters like you lovely people), it’s a great honor to be [somehow] recognized.
It’s just sad because I was just about to announce that I might not make it to the awards night.
*sighs*
My PBA acceptance speech has gone into waste. Hey, Ade, lend me that phallic trophy? And Benj, don’t slash your wrists, eh? Thanks for informing me about this, haha. I never would have known.
PS: Everyone, thanks so much for the comments on my previous entry. My ex and I broke up more than a year ago. I’m soooo over it . Although my mom occasionally tells me she misses him. Rawr!
Congratulations! You are totally deserving of being in the finals! If I had my way, you’d win the Personal category.
I would say that you scored full marks in Content and Mileage.
Wow, congrats on being a finalist!
congrats! i nominated u eh! & good thing, you made the speech
wohoo!
hey! congrats! you could win, you know. so don’t despair. hehe. when i’m not too busy, i’ll be giving you a link so more people can pour over to your blog. haha.
oh yeah. did i already say goodluck?
Hey, congrats!
Mananalo ka rin sa Bloggers Choice! 
I think you got 100% on appeal and context 
FruityOaty: If I had my way, I wouldn’t even be a nominee! Hehe! But thank youuuuu!!! I am so supporting you on the salaswildthoughts site.
Chau: Thanks!
Liz: Hehe, I won’t be able to use it. If only Jessica Zafra will attend…Maybe she’s willing to speak it in front of the audience?
Hehe, asa pa ako. She has her own wit.
Atomicgirl: I could, but I won’t.
Asus, asus, thanks for the thoughtfulness. Namaaan. Haha!
Yoru: Yaiks! I doubt it, haha. But thank you so much. You have tight competition on the WordPress themes special award. I wish you’d win though. Yeah, I’m biased hehe.
Hey, congrats! :-)
tama si yoru. blogger’s choice!
Congrats Shari.
Congratulations!
Baaaaakkkllllla!!! Finalsit ka!!! Yehey!!!! Ang galing naman!
Ei, Shari! I’m not at all surprised that you’re one of the finalists. Sa “Content” pa lang, buong 40% sayong-sayo na. hehehe! Congrats for making it to the top 5!
Eh? Why can’t u come to the awards nights? You were supposed to bring a copy of your acceptance speech and read it on stage if you win, dibaaa? C’mon! You don’t want to disappoint your fans now, do you? Sige na, it’ll be fun! Hehehe.
Abah! Abah! Galeng-galeng! (Bigla ko tuloy binaklas ang toinking logo ng PBA-2007 sa aking site, nyahahaha). Now where is that F-laden acceptance speech of yours?
Dra. Tess: Tenchu po!
JJ: Nah. Humor me more, please.
Michael: Yey, let’s boogie!
Salamat po!
Tracey: Oh, oh! BGS! Thanks!
LA: Mas maganda sana kung boyfriend ang prize diba? Haha!
Joni: Asus. I haven’t seen the other nominees, pero site pa lang ni Benj, olats na yung akin noh.
Pero tuwa pa rin ako, kahit paano. Pareho nga kami ng sentimyento ni Bikoy hehe.
Yung iPod na lang ang iwi-will kong mapanalunan ko. Bwahaha! Gaaah! Not the acceptance speech! Haggard! LOL!
Kuya Jun: What’s with the name ba?
Oist, bad naman nito, why did you remove the toinking logo? Toinky toink toink naman. Ikaw dapat finalist ka rin. Kaso siguro nga napagod na yung judges, hindi na nila chineck yung sites na nagsisimula sa J ang pangalan. Eh iyo lang pala yun noh? Haha!
Huwow! Congrats Shari! I know you can do it! Go get ‘em! Haha
ey! congrats! aattend ako to hear your acceptance speech
congratz on being a finalist! you deserve it!
umattend ka.. baka may mag claim na iba para sa iyo, akalin ni si Shari yun…
Congrats on the nomination!
Wahaw! Congrats, Shari! I think the randomness of your blog entries jumping from one topic to another really made you fit for the personal category. So, don’t you ever think you don’t deserve it. :P
woot! Congrats
my warm congratulations.
you need to use your PBA acceptance speech, thats a roxxor! you’ll be given special awards for that hehe.
I second joni!! come to the awards night
congrats!! ^__^
Xyla: Ahay, sus. Thank you naman haha!
Marghil: Namaaaan. It’s not as if I’m gonna win. Sayang pera. Haha!
Enzo: Thanks. *touched* hehe
Jun: But you’ve already seen me. Malalaman niyo naman po kung ako yun o hindi, hehe.
Aja: Waah! Waaaaah! Waaaaaah!!!
Ann: Huhu.
Lance: Asus, wish ko lang. Yung iPod lang, pwede na, haha!
Mae: You’ll win.
Over-represented ang Kabataan Partylist! Two out of 5!? Magpoprotesta ako sa COMELEC. lololol.
‘grats.
suportahan mo nalang ako sa bloggers’ choice
lolololol
congrats ate for making it.
you’ve been around for a really long time so I think you deserve it talaga… 
TOLD YA!
Good luck Shari! They should give you an award for being true to yourself.
Wowowow congrats! You really do deserve it naman because I know how long you’ve been in the blogosphere (yes I know, hahaha), and you write amazing blog posts that sometimes, I can’t even take in because they’re quite deep, but GOOD. Hahaha.
Aba! Pa-humble effect pa ang lola mo! Nyahahaha!
Dude, you deserve the spot. Jessica Zafra is better off authoring books and whatnots than blogging. And the others, uhm, who the hell are they? So yeah, you’re sooo gonna win!
http://tonilove.livejournal.com
^ Pls change my link to that. I moved already. Thanks!
ANG HUWAW! ang galing naman ni Shari.
I hope you win. Congrats!:)
rak shari!
mananalo ka diyan, painom manalo.
Benj: Believe me, I will.
I hope we can vote for at least 5 blogs for the Blogger’s Choice though. 
Wahaha it’s not as if we’re “running under the Kabataan Partylist banner.” 
Isley: Awww, thank you. *hugs*
Renee: Nah, you didn’t! Haha! Booyah!
Juice: Awww…Thank you. *teardrops* Wait.
Deep?
Talamasca: You’re so mean! LOL! Kaw talaga haha.
Toni: You moved! Whyyyyy?! Anyway, thanks po!
Dotep: Boo! Quits lang tayo, di naman ako nakasama inuman nung beerday mo!
Congratulations for making the shortlist! Great Blog
OMG! CONGRATULATIONS!
Grabe Shari bigatin ka na talaga.. iba na talaga ang sikat!!!
I saw your blog on the list of finalists too! Congratulations!
Bigatin ka na nga (in terms of awards recognition).
The judges must have been lured by your “mysterious” appeal! Hehehe
Good luck also on the awards night itself!
astig… pag nanalo ka, pangalawa ka na sa mga kakilala kong awardee
a friend of mine, deyey, won something of this sort back in the day 
congrats!!
congratulations, shari!
good luck sa ating lahat!
The Sleepy Traveler: Thank you. I appreciate the compliment.
Ate Ems: Waaah! Hindi sikat. Asus!
Darwin: Heeey! I thought we’re going together?
H.love: Hehe, I won’t.
Bikoy: Good luck, Bikoy! If it wasn’t for Jessica Zafra, I’d bet my life that you’re the one who’s going to win.
Congratulations!
Though Jessica Zafra is a tough competition, you deserve to win. I think you’ll have high points in all the criteria.
Realistically, it’s a three-horse race - and you’re one of the um…. horses. hehe
My site’s down, but I wrote my prediction there. I think it’s going to be Dikoy vs Bikoy as frontrunners with you as the dark horse. Having Jessica Zafra win will be way too predictable. hehe
Jayme: Nah, nah. Haha!
Benj: You kid me. Puh-leese, haha! I’m not one of the horses, coz I’m a pig.
Eska: Oh, right. Shoulda make things clearer. Past tense nga pala na “was” hindi “is”, pero ako yung “was”. Guess I have to swear off Stand-UP forever, and cut off all claimed affiliations with it, eh? Will do, will do.
Haha, no wonder…But anyway, good luck.
Wow congratulations. This must have give you more motivation to blog eh. I wonder if my country has these kind of things haha.. Not that I think I will be in the finalist. Just that its fun to have the awards for bloggers.
DRUMROLL, PLS…CLAP…CLAP…CLAP
good luck from the Racomas!
congratulations
God bless to you on the awards night 
Congratulations!! I think the fans did it, if you’re really insistent nothing’s here–but I insist, your blog is one of the bests along with fruityoaty and others.. Cheers!
Go Shari! Go Shari! GO! GO! GO SHARI!!
*backflips* *cartwheels* *somersaults*
Ayan may cheer routine na tayo!
I just realized I don’t agree with the list of nominees. lol. I guess it would be best to keep my orocan article up. For the sake of not making this look like a joke and an exercise in political power-playing, I hope someone deserving wins - i.e. you or three other people. hehe. Good luck again.
Raymond: Organize one! It’d be neat.
Sexy mom: Awww, thank you. *flying kisses*
Karla: Thanks! You rock!
Blogbastic: *blushes* Hehe, thank you. I think FruityOaty deserves the recognition more than I do.
Jeff: Namaaan! Haha, gawin mo yan sa finals ha?
Benj: Oh, bakit naman? But heck, I definitely agree with you 101%. I can think of any other people who can replace my spot — i.e. you or a lot of other people. LOL. Ano ba yan. Salamat pa rin.
Here’s my theory : Person X and I talked about it over YM. The judges went for variety more than anything else (at least with the three nominees who I felt deserve it more. haha). Brace yourself. This will make you and I very controversial.
One of the finalists represents the “pure” personal blogger. It’s the blogger’s life in words and pictures. It’s almost like a self-promotional thing as it doesn’t try to be bigger the personality that’s behind it. This nominee beat out the likes of perennial finalist Aaron Roselo and the rest of the life chronicler bloggers.
This person is at a huge disadvantage - N1 doesn’t have any clout in the blogosphere because N1 has never been to an off-line event.
The second finalist represents the quirky, self-deprecating and funny blogger. There was only room for one funny writer and this person got it. Unlike nominee #1, nominee #2 actually expounds on issues and relates it to his/her daily life. Nominee number two beat out the likes of Ade Magnaye (probably because it doesn’t fit into any category - its not exactly personal in the way N1 and N2 are) and the rest of the funny bloggers.
The third one represents the blogger with the unconventional/ inspirational story. There has to be one every single time to make interesting. I think this finalist is the sentimental favorite despite a not so active readership. But given N3’s personality, there’s no competing against him. N3 can crush anyone’s back story. Who did this finalist beat? ME - duh.
Finalist no.4 got in for being a legend. I guess somebody told them that printed media were to be considered in the judging? Visit the link and you’ll see what I mean.
Finalist no.5 got in because… I’d rather not elaborate. You know what I mean.
BWAHAHAHAHA.
I hope you agree on all counts, Shari.
Benj: I’ve also noted the “variety” you’re talking about. But hey, a personal blog is a personal blog is a personal blog, right? It just varies on how the people behind the blogs express themselves, and their overall personality, so to speak.
So what’s this? Categorizing the finalists of Personal Category?
I sure agree with you, Benj. Just not about N2 bwahaha. And hmmm…Maybe you’re right. Jessica Zafra as a winner is much too predictable. I’m going for Bikoy, of course. But I’m not presupposing.
Congratulations!!!
WEll deserved nomination!!
Congrats Shari!
Congrats! Your site is cool, keep it up!
lucky bastard!
lol just kidding
you deserve it shari!
plugin ba tong smiley sa comment?
Alternati: Thanks! Haha!
Carlo: Po? Salamat po!
Gay: Aww, thanks.
Poell: Hehe sama mo.
WP-Grins po ang gamit ko. Katakut-takot na pag-edit sa
vars.phplolololMy prev comment should have said “baka may mag claim na iba para sa iyo, akalin NILA si Shari yun.” Tapos Guy yung nag-claim pa… patay na!
I sent u email re: Awards Night…
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