Blogging Then, and Blogging Now
Discussion of the “establishment” of Web Standards Philippines has started. If you’re an advocate of standards, or if you want to learn with us, email me at shari@misteryosa.com and I’ll add you to our Basecamp.
I found out some time last week that Janette Toral of Digital Filipino shall release an e-book about blogging, entitled “Blog This: How Blogs Empower Every Internet User” (blogging101workshop) next month. I hope that the email address posted above would suffice the needed contact details.
While all the 8 topics in the book are fairly interesting, I find the first two the most intriguing. I’m a personal blogger who gets frustrated that personal blogging must have some kind of a guideline or something, when it should be personal in the first place, and “anything goes” is the key. That it’s always a matter of personal, individual, preferences. Or maybe it’s just me. Sometimes I lose interest in blogging because when I started doing it years ago, it’s just a hobby, not a “profession”. It’s fun. It’s therapeutic. The initial reason why (almost) everyone blogs is that it’s their outlet. Now almost everyone’s just doing it because of the money they can get.
Has anyone even noticed that some (if not most, really) of the most-read blogs are those about online money-making? That when it comes to a blog entry that has “money” in the title, everyone’s sure to read it? I should probably mention the fact that in the Philippines, money’s hard to come by. Earning a cent can be a royal pain in the ass. Too bad that the ones who really need that one lousy cent can’t even blog because they don’t have the proper resources. Y’know, the people who even have to scour the garbage for something to eat. The people who can’t afford to go to school. The people who, no matter how hard they work their asses off and try to save something for the future, just can’t earn a decent amount to live a decent life. And then I encounter people in the blogosphere whining that they frigging need the money, all the while posting some expensive stuff they’ve just bought or are drooling over. Life is ironic, agree with me? Blogging is a right if you equate it to freedom of expression, but in the Philippines, it’s a privilege — something enjoyed mainly by people “beyond the advantages of most“.
Note: Do I have to post the huge difference between “want” and “need”? No, I think not. The readers of this blog are smart enough to know it, methinks.
Maybe I’m feeling this way because I’m stuck in the past of just blogging. Yuga asks how one defines or quantifies the “next level” for blogs, and I still wonder if there really is a next level. If there is, then I’m seriously lagging behind. More than 5 years of blogging, and I’m still here, doing the very same thing I did when I started. Insecure lang siguro ako! 
A couple of months ago, I loudly wondered about the difference between affiliates and link exchanges. I just link the blogs I frequent or find interesting, and I rarely, if not never, ask the owners to link me back. Why in hell should there be rules? Ganun na talaga siguro kababaw ang networking at blogging sa ibang tao. Add that to the fact that I’m actually afraid the day might come when everyone’s blog entries just consist of advertisement links, and blogging would just be something that anyone who wants money can do. Rhinoplasty, anyone? But hey, it’s fun reading entries with sponsored links. Shows you how creative people can get when it comes to integrating the links in their posts, haha! Fine, I do want the money, but I know how to use it wisely.
I guess they’re just some of the reasons why I sometimes feel frustrated and tired of everything. Maybe they explain why I always get the feeling that I want to quit this thing. Oh, well. iBlog 3 is just around the corner (if you’re looking for me, I’m number 20). Maybe I’ll find a worthwhile reason for me to continue what I’m doing.
Still on a self-imposed hiatus. Just needed to let that out. And I want to have a copy of the aforementioned book. 
Something to cheer you up:
Video: Catholic Mother Scolding her Son upon learning that he is an atheist.
gusto ko ng e-book na yan. that would definitely a big help for starters like me.
bukas na lng ako mag blog about it. sleep mode ako for 48hours. bawi sa mga nawalang oras sa tulog
regards
Hi Shari. I will include you in the list. I agree that blogging has gone beyond the personal journal. Although I would have opted to start DigitalFilipino.com as a blog in 1999, the technologies available then would not have sufficed my personal website requirements. As my niche is in the field of e-commerce, I’d like to show how blogs can be useful in accomplishing that, including services exporting.
You’ve touched on a lot of thoughts that have been going through my mind recently. Personally, I tire of having to return comments on “so-called” personal blogs that are really just online fronts for clickety-click ad shake your a$$ money-making schemes. I’m not going to judge those people — why they “need” or “want” money (because who can’t use a little bit of extra money?). What I really dislike is the fact that some posts AREN’T tagged as P2P when they should be… Yes, some are obvious… hello… “rhinoplasty” screams P2P. (LOL, one of these days… I’m going to run across a REAL entry about rhinoplasty… and I’m not going to know the difference whether it was P2P or not). But sometimes, you take the trouble to read an entry… you start caring about what the person is saying, experiencing… and then BOOM, you smell “P2P”. I don’t know… things like “integrity” (or lack of it) in the post start flitting through your mind.
Recently, I read about WordPress theme makers and the idea of bidding on sponsored links. You bid $$$ to get your link to appear at the footer of the WordPress.
An “Edit comment” plugin? This smells new. I think read about this plugin in Jaypee’s blog recently. OK, so long are we allowed to edit our previous comment? I forgot to add in my previous comment, “I worship your blog, LOL.” Also, (hey this Edit thing works, cool… good for the spelling-challenged like me!)… I’ve never asked anyone to exchange links. Someone once told me that I should start being more proactive in getting links, but that’s not my game. Bleah.
Yeah, I’ve noticed that. Most of the blogs that I visit have those sponsored posts from b2p.
If ever I’ll go to the iblog3, we’ll meet at SM North Edsa hu? Just give me the details (eg: where, time).
One reason I never got attracted to making money online is that parang wala kang pinagpaguran pero nakakakuha ka ng pera. Iba pa rin kapag alam mong pinagpaguran mo. Masmagiging matipid ka kasi dugo at pawis mo yun. When these stuff were starting akala ko dati talagang kasama sa personal blog nila. Nung una, impressed daw ako… ang dami nilang “alam” kasi… yung pala.. sponored blogpost yun.
Hehe
yeah minsan talaga nakaka frustrate. lalo na if you run out of things to talk about pero in your case, i dont think you ever run out of topics. kasi laging interesting mga sinusulat mo. tipong may sense ba? pero about don sa sponsoring and stuff, nung una i was gonna do it tapos naisip ko pa nga yung pera na makukuha ko don, i’ll give it to charity. i know it won’t be that much pero might as well put it to use by other people diba? kaso i never got to do it. specially now na tamad na tamad din ako mag blog… kahit nga mag computer super tamad na ako eh. anyway…. feel better. get inspired!
Paid to post has killed many a good blog. I’ve seen several people start it saying that they’d only blog about topics they’d have blogged about anyway just to turn into a multiple-post-a-day advertising machine. If you’re like me and prefer personal blogs it’s really hard to focus on advertising posts… I end up not even bothering with the site after a while. I’m with you - if there’s a next level I’m seriously lagging behind and really I think I like it that way :P
Yeah I know what you mean about those sponsered blogs nowadays… And you’re right, there definitely is a difference between “want” and “need”… But yeah, I’ve always had a blog because it was my outlet, and I don’t care if there’s a “standard” for personal blogs or not. It’s my outlet to the world. LOL.
I’ve been thinking about this. Everyone seems to be about money making these days. Ang weird cause before I’d be so amused if I ‘blogged about blogging’ but now there are hundred of sites on how to improve one’s blog to optimize revenue.
I haven’t jumped the ads shark yet but even I’m thinking about it. I’m mostly just intrigued if I can earn ba talaga.
Pero right now, I’m sticking to ‘just’ blogging.
sometimes a personal blog gets corrupted when all you see are those money making ads…
the making money online schemes.. sounds sooo great and a lot have been doing it.. because of the money.. and not because of what their blog was placed in the first place.
but then its their blog…. oh well..
sana available sa bookstores ang book.
You’ve been using this Edit Comment thing for a month now? Really? Goes to tell ya, I’m not noticing much these days, haha. OK, I just visited a Pinoy blog (name won’t be mentioned) where the P2P topic was about “Beef Jerky”… and he went on and on about how much he loves Beef Jerky and how he kept thinking about Beef Jerky all the time. Me thinking: someone needs to give this guy LOTS OF FIBRE after his meals of Beef Jerky. Crap, I’m spamming this post. Alright, bye.
Very well said.
Ako, gusto rin kumita ng pera from blogging. I mean, being nagged by your parents telling you na, “Ano ba nakukuha mo sa pagba-blog blog na yan ha?” Ang sarap sagutin ng, “DOLLARS!” tapos sabay flash ng check. LOL.
Pero lately, na-realize ko.. it’s my way of writing that suffers. I’m the kind of guy that has *very* random thoughts and nahihirapan talaga ako na i-incorporate yung mga links to my entries, kaya the result? A half-baked post. Bland and tasteless kung baga.
Siguro, it’s not bad to earn money from blogging. Let’s just not forget that blogging is a way of expressing and sharing our thoughts.
Oh, and I guess it’s safe to say that all bloggers experience the lack of inspiration. Babalik din yan. Hehe.
[See what I mean when I say random? Ang gulo ng comment ko. LOL.]
Natatawa ako minsan sa mga sponsored entries. Una manghang mangha ako sa mga entry nila… Sabay.. TOINK! Nagaadvertise pala. I never considered trying that blog to profit. Feeling ko kase ang hirap. haha. Parang you would make an entry para lang dun. Eek! Ayaw. Hirap na ako sa English! haha. Joke lang.
Naiinis ako sa so-called competition ng ibang bloggers sa pagbblog. First of all, (for me), the reason why you have a blog is to vent out your thoughts and feeling. Like what you said, outlet nga. Sa 3-4 years ko ng pagbblog, napansin ko din yung paiba ibang eksena sa blogging world. I admit, nung una medyo nakikisama ako sa mga ganon. Sabihin nating naexcite and natuwa at first. pero nakakapagod din pala. Now, I just blog not for the people but for myself. In some way, for the people na rin especially if I have a message I want to send to my readers.
Ang haba na yata ng comment ko. Anyways, down ang flipgirl.org ko. Kainis. So sa LJ ko muna ako.
Can I also join you guys at web standards philippines?
I really want to learn more about web standards. 
there are ways to earn money and blogging is just one of them. It’s the government scheme to ensure that most filipinos will get to use the internet . I am not sure if blogging is part of the agenda. Distance learning is the focus of the internet usage in those far flung cities. Slowly we will get there.
now about earning money, it takes years to earn money from personal blogging . I am not an expert on this but that’s just how I deduced after taking up on my daughter’s old domains. Just hang in there. Keep blogging , write great unique content. The money will follow.
I write about money because I want readers to think of their financial security.Employment is so temporary. One day you could get sick. It’s good to have passive income or other sources to augment the present income. That’s how I learned to make a living online because Abe was generous enough to share it to his readers. And so, I do the same to my readers.
hhmm.. about the l/e and affiliates, i got the idea that l/e are linked on one page and affiliates are linked on every page from the sites that used to exist four years ago. and it stuck one me. lol. as for the blogging, it’s a hobby for me too. but then if there are benefits i can get from my hobby, then why not. my mom pays for my domain and hosting and well, it’s not bad to help.
sayang di ako makakapunta ng iblog3 because of the review. good luck na lang sa inyo. sakto sa class ko sayang pero sa next event na lang siguro ako sasama if ever! inggitin mo na lang ako. hehe
Guilty! Well, dati, umaasa parin akong makaearn ng something kahit hindi naman yun talaga ang reason ko bakit ako nagbblog. Well, nagbblog na ko for years at lahat na nasubukan ko. at kung makikita mo yung mga luma kong blog site matatawa ka kase super nonsense ang mga nakasulat (hanggang ngayon naman). Hahaha. pero yun nga, napansin ko din na ang daming nagbblog para ipromote yung mga sinalihan nilang networking, etc. alam mo na? parang ang dami na tuloy ng blogger tapos 60% nagbblog para kumita, or baka 80% pa nga eh. hay! two weeks ago sumuko na ko sa ganyan, yung mga referral something, wala lang, gusto ko lang linisin ang blog ko for once, and i’m working on it.
at sa wakas, valid xhtml at css na ang blog ko.
I’ve noticed so many “personal” blogs trying to make money too. Unless you own dooce.com I really think it’s stupid. I mean she already has a huge audience, why not make money from it? But for small blogs just starting out trying to skimp money from their 5-15 visitors? No way.
And I see quite a lot of Filipino blogs just overdoing it with the ads. They could cover every inch of the screen with ads, I would not click a single one. Especially if they talk about shite. And even more if their shitey entries are interspersed with even more poorly written sponsored entries.
Oh I am going a little over with this comment aren’t I?
Ok well I’m going to hit submit now and just step away from the keyboard 
yung iba, cocomment ng “hi, hello..” at kung ano-ano pang off-topic para lang bisitahin mo sila. more hits/visits = tanggap ka sa b2p. nakakabastos nga lang yung halatang di nila pagbasa sa entry mo.
nagapply din ako sa b2p to earn money. hindi para iwaldas, kundi para makatulong sa parents at yun lang way na naiisip ko. di pa rin ako tanggap til now, di ko kasi kayang makipagplastikan sa iba na visits lang habol sakin, at ayoko rin maghakot ng visits para lang sa pera. nakakababa yun ng tingin sa sarili ko.
ina-add ko rin ng kusa yung mga gusto kong blogs. pero hindi na yun sakop ng l/e at affie rules, or requirements ang tamang term. para lang siguro yun sa mga bigla na lang susulpot sa blog mo at gusto ng l/e. di mo naman i-aadd basta-basta yung di mo kakilala, di ba? baka kasi sa sobrang generous mo baka gamitin ka lang. mas ok na siguro kung fair.
nalaman ko palang nanalo ka kasi binasa ko yung previous posts mo.
galing 
hope di ka tumigil, onti na nga lang naaappreciate kong blogs, tas baka itigil mo pa to. 
Personally, I blog because as an Information Technology student, I want to practice some things plus what you said that it is an outlet. In my opinion, siguro ok lang kumita ng pera through blogs kaso wag naman yung sobrang ads na ang laman. I see some sites na ganun honestly.
Hiatus ka pala.
Linked you btw. Siyempre naman, kaw kaya tumulong sakin. Hehe. Thanks ulit. 
PS. I do want the money too! LOL.
Ang cute nga pla ng mga smileys mo sis! Inggit ako.. LOL
Hope you’d still continue to blog anyhow!
I am guilty of linking Rhinplasty websites, however it (being meatpaddy, not doingword) has been the longest time ive ever had a blog. Getting paid is a big motivation for posting. And it’s so much easier to be motivated to blog if you’re watching your visitors increase aswell on a daily basis.
Its a good way to brush up on writing well also! (sometimes…!)
finally, finally, we will meet. me and some of blogging kids will be there, am not sure of my number. son JAngelo will speak on saturday. take care, dear!
well i guess you cant blame people for wanting to earn money.. kaso yeah i dont like it too, na puro ads nalang ang isang blog.
im not planning to put up advertisements on my site.
hehe. siguro pag ako din nangailangan na ng pera. but at the moment, im “just blogging”. 
you’re not the only one stuck in the past.lol.
magbebenta na lang ako ng katawan ko sa mga artistang magaganda.
just pure hobby, not for business…
surely the most interesting blog entry i have read in a really long time. ive never thot abt making money of my blog. thats wierd. lol. i do use it as an outlet because i know that ppl online wont judge me the way my friends do….:D no ads for me. thank u!
Aray, tinamaan ako sa rhinoplasty hahaha… Well, you already read my post and why I’m so into site ranks and stuff… THAT wasn’t my real objective when I started blogging. Therapy talaga because my brother died and there were just too many things happening in the family back then.
Anyway, I don’t link everyone who asks for a link exchange. I also don’t ask blogs I’ve hopped to to exchange links with me. Dapat nagkainteres talaga ako. Otherwise, hindi na lang. And also, is it unethical to drop a link when he/she doesn’t visit anymore?
P.S. Just saw you on tv at channel 9… congrats uli!
if only philippine politics was a high-paying keyword. or chiz. lol. i wish i was a lawyer. then i can blog about mesothelioma, or insurance, or structured settlements, and actually have something to say
I’ve been blogging since 1999. Really didn’t know what to say then. It was just an excuse for me to design something with a bit of content. Then came 2004, with Mezza-9.Net. My designs were a big hit in the blogosphere, the comments started going up to 50 a day. Then with the politics I was blogging about, those entries came up to 100 a day. Then came fanmail, hatemails. So it started becoming stressful. What was a blogging for anymore? More fans? More enemies? Appeasing ppl who what to read or rip off my designs. So, I took down Mezza-9.Net in 2005. Stayed low profile until IvyTan.Net came along.
Yeah the commercialization and the politics of blogging…. much like commercialization and politics of everything else.
I have ads on my site that cover the cost of the hosting, but when I put up a paid post, I try and make it personal you know? I don’t really like the go here because it is a paid blog kind of thing, when I do a paid post, not many realize it is paid because I incorporate it into my life. More paid blogs should be like that.
I’m not really a fan of blogs with lots of advertising at all. I can understand how sometimes certain people need extra money and I won’t judge them, but in my honestly opinion, ad-free blogs are the way to go. I must add, also, that I only really think this about personal blogs. Other blogs’ purposes might be for moneymaking or advertising, or media, but personal blogs should be ad-free in my opinion.
[...] of an office work load and, have to admit this, because of the contagious moods of Massa P. and Shari. But this event was too good to pass not to be [...]
LMFAO! I didn’t notice I went to your [dot]org domain! I think I was super tired because I hadn’t slept that. I guess I didn’t notice. LOL… The reason why I don’t use WP is because of my host. She used to use GM so I got stuck with that. Now she uses WP, but hasn’t said anything of a switch
I started a blog because I stumbled upon a friend’s personal site. That was back in ‘03. I blog because like Chau said, it’s my outlet. I can air what I want with getting different inputs from people. At the same time I let my imagination run rampant and better my graphics. Sometimes I feel as if I just want to stop because people expect for me to blog about something interesting. Blogging can be frustrating
Let me just comment on KT’s comment. (and others similar to it) I don’t think it should matter whether people “work up a sweat” earning money, as you are referring to with “problogging”. I am far from an expert on the subject, but I agree with Steve Pavlina “work” should not come to mean slaving away in a cubicle. It can also mean entrepreneurship, right? Making money online is like entrepreneurship: you invest resources, break even, and hopefully reach the point where you make profits without having to exert (much) effort. I think this is what most people misunderstand when people like Pavlina preach “go quit your job”.
Besides, it could be a sign that you’re doing what you’re meant to be doing. The best “jobs” are those you love doing, right? I haven’t reached that point yet, but I also believe in that. 
I think it’s a matter of moderation. Shari’s right; sometimes the thought of “arbitrary” link exchange is so darn awful and “plastic”. But it’s up to you to adopt it or not.
yan ang dillemma (spellcheck lol) ng nakakarami. is blogging really about making money, or is blogging just blogging? but if you think about it, why not blog and earn? lol. gulo. *headscratch* daming kelangan matutunan, especially if you have your own domain. SEM and SEO plays a big part to get your blog noticed. gyah. blogging’s just become so complicated that most people just stop.
hmmm…nice one here, shari. i would consider my site as purely therapeutic and has no plans of getting into money-making…at least, for now
sometimes, these ads are so annoying. but, again, it’s money.
(ps. tnx for ur comments, too on my blog)
wow.. dami mong fans
…
im just bummed we from Cebu cant be at teh Summit. pfft.
Wow ang layo na ng narating ng blog mo. One day lang ang dami nang comments. Puwede ka nang kumita nang malaki sa blog mo. Just continue blogging. You never know this could mean income to you. Pero ang dapat na main reason for blogging is you want to share your thoughts. Yun ang blogging. ^^
Haay… it’s frustrating sometimes, yes. I started blogging years ago because I want to have some sort of outlet.
I agree that blogging shouldn’t have a set of standards, specially if it’s a personal blog. The writer must have the freedom to express his/her feelings without having to think about the standards.
Yes, I have noticed that most popular blogs are about money-making. It’s kind of sad, actually. It usually starts out as a hobby, then grows into a part time job and a part time career. Maybe it’s because when you get older and time passes, you realize what you need, what your cravings are, and if you’re smart, how to get them. And one of them is money.
i can’t really agree with everything. a web log is personal, thus someone can write and place anything on their space. kahit ano pa ilagay niya, we should not really make a fuss about it. and i dont see anything wrong with making money with your blog.
and about the webstandards.. of course it’s better if your site is made in a “professional way” or however you call that. but we shouldnt be “sad” if there are sites who doesnt have the “professional touch” or again, however you call it. if they want it that way, so what? hmm. 
nice blog. napaisip ako.
Now I don’t wonder much anymore why most of my online friends from the past who have domain/hosted blogs have sought refuge on LiveJournal. These so-called “standards” (not the web thing) have alienated and limited (if not improved) most of them. Seldom that they can talk about their feelings anymore (which I think is the origin of these personal blogs).
Btw, I emailed you.
Why put guidelines to blogging? That book is purdy. Blogs are about what you feel like putting in them. If you want to put recipes, go ahead. Put your whole life in it? Go! I don’t see the reason why people are trying their best by following these “guidelines”.
haaai… gusto ko tlga magblog pero sa tingin ko mga tao talaga gagawin ang lahat para magkapera lang. akala kasi nila ang pera mabibili ang kasiyahan ng bawat tao…
[...] seems to be a rift between personal blogging and professional blogging (aka problogging). In Shari’s recent post, where she compares blogging in the past and present, commenters seem to imply that running [...]
is it the layout or i just find the entries now hard to read?
what’s with all the links?
everything’s changed… i’m lost…
Life is unfair…
I don’t think you can make a lot of money by blogging. I don’t believe all those people claiming they make six figures earnings with their blogs.
Maybe it is their way to say that they get a lot of visitors…
I am sick of advertisements. I am sick of those advertisements on TV, in magazines, in the streets. Who want more advertisements? Who want to click on online advertisements? Not me. Do you?
“Yes, I have noticed that most popular blogs are about money-making.”
Are they???? Or do they just claim that they are.
Should there really be a next level for a personal blog? Specially the successful ones with the likes of misteryosa.com
Making money through blog is fine with me as long as it doesn’t make my blog a marketplace full of ads and indeed brings in profit. Who would like placing an commercial advertisement without earning even a cent.
BTW, goodluck on the iBlog3! I’m not attending it because I’m so busy in getting busy. Hehe
i want money. i mean, who on earth doesn’t want it anyway? it’s a necessity of everyone. ok, probably if too much, then, it can be considered as a luxury or a simply want.
and one thing is for sure, we have our own reasons why we want to have money. it’s just a case to case basis.
about the affiliate and the link exchange thing, yes i do that. well, i’m just new to the online community and i’m just following the fad. you know, it’s hard to create your way if you’re just new to or at something. you need to have a paradigm of your work.
Shari, some people are whining about money because these people feel that the very reason why they are burning their asses off working - enduring the pains all-day and all-night long - is because they want to buy the things they wanna buy. We, humans, all have some sense of selfishness in us Shari. So don’t be surprised if you read a blog where the authors whine about how they need money and then post the “expensive” things they just bought. doesn’t anybody deserve to pleasure himsef/herself with some material things after entirely burning her/his ass off?
Shari, d ko na makita yun “Edit Comment” kaya post nalang ako nun dapat na edited version, sorry.
Shari, some people are whining about money because these people feel that the very reason why they are burning their asses off working - enduring the pains all-day and all-night long - is because they want to buy the things they wanna buy (of course this is on top of those things they need). We, humans, all have some sense of selfishness in us Shari. So don’t be surprised if you read a blog where the authors whine about how they need money and then post the “expensive” things they just bought. doesn’t anybody deserve to pleasure himsef/herself with some material things after entirely burning her/his ass off?
Also, I don’t believe in this statement: The people who, no matter how hard they work their asses off and try to save something for the future, just can’t earn a decent amount to live a decent life. Why? It’s a very long story to tell but my mom’s and uncle’s lives are testimonies on how patience and persistence, accompanied with drive and ambition, can uplift a person’s life. Ang pamilya ng nanay ko dati ay sobrang “kaawa-awa” (so to speak). Hindi man sila umabot sa buhay na mangalkal ng basura ngunit naranasan nila ang manghingi ang pagkain sa kanilang mga kapitbahay, mamulot ng mga kamatis, sibuyat at kung anu-ano pa sa daan (sa may bukid sila nakatira), butas-butas na mga damit at sapatos ang kanilang ginagamit paglabas ng kanilang mga bahay. Pero dahil sa sipag, tiyaga at ambisyon na makaraos sa hirap, nagsumikap silang makapag-aral.
Ang nanay ko, dahil sa kanyang katalinuhan, ay nakapasok sa isang paaralan bilang “saling-pusa” (wala silang pambayad ng tuition fee kahit sa public school lang). Ngunit kahit na saling-pusa lang ang aking ina nuon, talagang magaling at nangunguna sya sa klase. Hanggang nakakuha sya ng scholarship sa paaralan na iyon. Ganun din ang tito ko, nakapag-aral lang din sya dahil sa mga scholarships na nakuha niya.
Naging working student ang nanay ko nun high school siya dahil sa kagustuhan niyang makatulong at makapag bigay ng pera sa kanyang pamilya. Gusto niyang mapag-aral ang mga kapatid niya. Hindi niya inalintana ang pagod, hirap at sakit ng katawan. Dahil binigyan siya ng isang napaka-gandang mukha at katawan ng Diyos, nakapasok siya bilang saleslady ng isang department store. Dun nagsimulang makapag-ambag siya ng pera pambuhay sa pamilya nya maliban sa pagpapa-aral sa 2 kapatid niya.
Dahil nga sa kawalan ng pera, ang aking ina at ang kanyang mga kapatid ay pumapasok sa eskwelehan na butas ang sapatos. Ang lola ko ay isang mananahi kaya nakakapag-uwi sya ng mga “surplus” na mga tela galing sa factory na kung saan siya nagtratrabaho. Ito ang ginagamit niya na damit ng mga anak niya (ng nanay ko at mga kapatid niya). Kahit na nakukutya sila sa paaralan dahil nga sa kanilang butas na sapatos at damit, tiniis nila lahat ang hirap na iyon dahil alam nila ang kahalagahan ng edukasyon.
Ngunit dahil na rin sa mahirap nga lang ang aking ina, at politika na rin kahit sa isang paaralan, Salutatorian lang ang naabot niya nun nagtapos sya ng sekondarya. Alam ng aking ina na kailangan niyang maging Valedictorian ng batch nila upang maging full scholar sa mga kolehiyo na may mataas na antas ng pagtuturo. Dahil sa kailangan at gusto niyang pag-aralin ang kanyang mga kapatid, hindi maari na siya ay gumastos ng kahit isang kusing para sa tuition fee. Gayunpaman, sinubukan pa din ng aking ina. Nakapasok siya sa isang magandang kolehiyo at kumuha ng kursong Business Administration. Matataas pa din ang kanyang grado, pero hindi sapat upang makakuha sya ng FULL scholarship (inclusive of miscellaneous fees) sa paaralan na iyon. Upang mapag-aral niya ang kanyang mga kapatid, huminto sya ng pag-aaral at nag full time sa kanyang pag-tratrabaho. Ngayon, ang tito ko ay nakapag-tapos ng kolehiyo bilang isang “Accountant” (with flying colors) at sya ay naging lisensyado na CPA. Ang isa ko namang tito ay nakapag tapos ng Civil Engineering.
Pero tila likas sa aking ina ang pagiging matiyaga at ang kanyang ambisyon na makaraos sa buhay. Hindi naging hadlang ang hindi pagkakaroon ng college diploma sa kanyang ikauunlad. Dahil sa likas na sipag at determinasyon, nakapag-patayo sya ng isang maliit na negosyo galing sa kanyang mga ipon sa pagtratrabaho at pagiging isang empliyado, na dahil na rin sa sikap at praktikalidad ng aking ina, ay napalago din niya sa mga nagdaang araw.
Sorry Shari mahaba ang comment ko. I just wanted to share my mom’s story. She’s really remarkable and I know I cannot be like her, not even like her fingertip. Hindi na naialis sa kanya ang pagiging magaling nya sa pag-ma-manage ng pera, something that I didn’t inherit from her, pero lagi nyang sinasabi sa akin ngayon (pati na rin ng tito ko) na pagtanda ko, sikapin kong mabili ang mga gusto kong mabili and never deprive myself of that. Ang nanay ko kasi, marami syang mga bagay na gusto niyang bilin na hindi niya nabili. At kahit ngayon hindi pa din niya nabibili ang iba despite the money she has, and we’re still whining sometimes even though we know we’re more fortunate to some other people. Pero Shari, ako nalang for example, nagtyatyaga akong magtrabaho because apart from buying the things I need, I also want to buy the things I wanted to buy. Yun mga hindi needs pero alam kong sobrang gusto ko. Diba nagtratrabaho ako dahil gusto ko din mabili ang mga bagay na hindi ko nabibili nuong wala pa akong trabaho?
In all honesty, we do not have a lot of money. We’re just an average-earning family, but yes, we’re more fortunate than those who have to dig the trashes out just to get some food. But my mom’s life before was even close to that, and yet, she was able to something remarkable to uplift the status of her life. So lahat may pag-asa na magkaroon ng disenteng pamumuhay kung talagang gugustuhin nila
… sidenote: actually madami pa akong gustong sabihin at ikwento kaso mahaba na masyado itong comment ko hahahahaha!
Unlike you, my interest in blogging is temporarily zooming around the milky way and will perhaps take a million light years to come back. Not to mention that the constant “Bandwidth limit exceeded” annoys me to the depths of insanity. As of now, I’m stuck with my LJ and my icon journal. I refuse to abandon blogging in LJ since, well, I never intended my paid account to go into waste, no?
Anyways. I’m not exactly fond of reading blogs with advertisements to help the webmaster earn some money. No offence. Ads scare the hell out of my poor, poor PC and I cannot afford to let it go bonkers because of viruses.
It’s not that I don’t need money. In fact, I earn money for myself just to satisfy my needs. But unlike other people, my hard-earned money does not completely go to some fashionable shops, instead it is saved for my future use. Studying in the UK costs a lot. A LOT.
BTW, regarding my blog. I’m still looking for a new host, so I’ll just leave it off like that for a while until I find a new one. Hahaha, I’m determined to start over with wordpress… in the future. Probably.
EDIT: When I was new to blogging I admit that I’m like, obssesed with this link exchange thingamajig. However, ever since I realized that livejournal is a wonderful community to dwell in, I realized that link exchanges do not matter, it’s the conversation shared between two bloggers, friends or not, which gives life to errr…. *I’m lost for words*
Interesting
though I don’t blog because I want too. For me, my Blog is my Ministry.. I reach out… but yeah been neglecting online ministry because of offline ministry… I need to balance! balance! hehe 
Compare to my blog last few years, I have certainly changed a bit. Not only I don’t have affliates and link exchanges now, I now try to keep things as simple as possible and focus more on the blog. The entry is what people will be reading so try to post something interesting yet is something connected to me. I know about the ads in the site sometimes are annoying but thats their choice on what they want in their site. So yea maybe the need or wants the money. Who doesn’t actually but its the matter of how wise they use them.
Hiyee Shari!
You could always go back to blogging the way it was when you really really enjoyed doing it. Going into a hiatus may be just what you need to breathe and regroup. And I see you’re watching Heroes! Yey! hehehe… Told you it was good! Can’t wait for April 23rd when it continues! I got the date all nice and marked on my Palm.
MOney money money. I want some! hehehe…
Cheer up dear!
getting revenues out of blogging is something that is a bit novel to me. although i have started my blog in 2004, i just got my first blogging paycheck Q4 of 2006. i never really thought that i could even get money from it.
im not really doing a full-throttle in monetizing my blog. whats important is that the contents are not sacrificed.
i wont mind getting no penny from blogging. i have a full time job which is more than enough fro my bread and butter.
As much as possible I tend to stay away or using too much advertisements on my blog. Since most of them can also slow down my loading time.
But I am taking a little advantage on monetizing my blog. Trying some stuff here and there without ruining the content of my blog. Besides I am just using my earnings for my film fund. Which is somewhat for a good cause.
well, blogging is not juz a diary after all.. it could also serve as a reference.. haha but sometimes you hafta think that you blog for yourself and not for others,. haha
Ill be surely buying that book!
anyway, if i just can be free from my parents’ strict laws, i can go to iBlog3. hmpff.
rhinoplasty! i feel guilty. anyway, I made a pseudoresponse to your post at my blog.
That sounds like an interesting book but I doubt they’d sell it in my country. I may have to buy it online. Haha.
I know what you mean about losing interest in blogging. I get that feeling almost all the time. It’s just a hobby and not anything else. I don’t get those money making blogs..
[...] There seems to be a rift between personal blogging and professional blogging (aka problogging). In Shari’s recent post, where she compares blogging in the past and present, commenters seem to imply that running [...]
[...] There seems to be a rift between personal blogging and professional blogging (aka problogging). In Shari’s recent post, where she compares blogging in the past and present, commenters seem to imply that running [...]
[...] It’s therapeutic. The initial reason why (almost) everyone blogs is that it’s their outlet. Now almost everyone’s just doing it because of the money they can get. … [A]s anyone even noticed that some (if not most, really) of the most-read blogs are [...]
OMFG money-faced jerkwads are indeed all over the fricking place! Sacrificing content or substance over moolah? Gawd I hate those blog whores! That’s why whenever I happen to stumble upon one, I make it a point to click that nifty x. Works every time.
yeah, i get what you mean. people sometimes put so much ads on their blogs just to get money.
I’ve read your sarcastic guideline about blogging, and I think you almost described my sites… At least, I don’t have either ‘baby’ or ‘pink’ in my domain name…
Anyway, I love pink layouts
Have a nice day,
Ate Francesca
aww! I think I’m one of those Filipinos you’ve mentioned who’s looking for money in blogging! hehe..
till here!
You’re going to iBlog3? Rawr, I signed up, bu