This Randomness is 9!

Nothing makes me happier than reading my old blog posts. The really old ones from 2008 when I started. It is fun to recall what I was doing then and laugh at my experiences. I feel the old posts were more ME, more connected to my imaginary readers.

Lately, I have been updating, putting up more posts and hopefully be back to being more conversational and personal. Blogging now is different. People blog to earn, to advertise or for other reasons. My reason for blogging has not changed. I still love to blog to record so that I have something to read in my older years. Times may change but some of our reasons for doing things do not.

Happy Birthday THIS RANDOMNESS! 
You are now 9 years old in cyber-time!

Online Sharing

Where do I draw the line between what I will and will not share online?

• Pictures of me and family members are seldom posted in my blog, except on very special occasions.

• My Facebook account does not have my real name and do not contain lots of information.

• I always believe in the idea that my friends (through blogging or in Facebook) know me already - they don't need more details of myself posted online.

• So even if I have such online presence - there is still so much of me that is unexposed. Nothing personal, just a choice.
  

This topic came from a blog I used to follow but have forgotten lately. A question or a topic is posted daily as a writing trigger.

p.s.
YES - that photo on the right is a self portrait I am willing to post anywhere online.

Birthday Promise

I accept, I've had too much break from blogging. And for no reason at all.

Anyway, as I turn another year - I make another promise to go back to writing, blogging and chattering. Add to that promise is to take more inspired and breath taking photos. Next is to revisit my bucket list, update my life handbook, and continue my daily life records.

The list goes on - which only means I am slowly going back to normal.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Photography

Does it interest the eye, excite the brain, move the mind to reflection, and involve the heart? - Julian Barnes

Then blogging led me to photography. Once just a fling, but now a serious contender of my attention. This mistress has bitten me with an intoxicating, poisonous venom and made me insatiable.

They go so much together - the writing and the capturing of images - both creative endeavors that called hundreds of men and women before me. I have to admit - it is an insult to all the great writers and great photographers to say that I am one of them. But then, I am a follower of humorist Erma Bombeck who said "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."

Awakening

In my desire to be noticed, to be validated and to have readers, I literally called friends and urged them to check my blog. My posts became the starting point to reconnect with my college friends and former co-workers. From my posts, we continued our chats and e-mails. Dormant relationships were rekindled.

Some friends also got inspired to start their own blogs. They got connected to their own "artistic" selves. I also begun reading other blogs, commented and eventually became cyber friends with people from other side of the globe.

In a way, I can say my blogging awakened me to several things. Connecting with old friends and starting new ones. Taking new hobbies and surviving old ones. My blogging right now may have taken a back seat to the latest social network site - the Facebook, but I consider this just an offshoot. At the end of the day - I can still say blogging was the spark that started it all.

~ The heart of blogging is linking...linking and commenting.
Connecting and communicating - the purpose of the Internet. ~

Who am I to disagree and change the wheel?

The Writing

For me blogging has always been about writing. Writing about anything I have seen, experienced, or dreamed of.

I belong to the majority - who blogs just because. My writing has not improved nor my story telling skills - yet, I still blog. My grammar, composition and spelling sometimes need editing. But I persist. For blogs, even one as simple as this with a non-existent audience still has to be presentable and readable. One has got to be prepared anytime for the occasional visitor.

Did it ever become a burden to maintain this blog? Yes, a few times and yes, I did slacken several times. But I always go back. It is not the lack of topics but the lack of time to refine and edit posts. As I write this, my drafts folder is full. Some are no longer relevant, some I can still rewrite and refresh. Others will forever stay as drafts, some will someday be read by anyone interested.

What does this tell me? The realization of a constant. I love to write and I still do. Never mind the Pulitzer, monetizing my blog or bagging a deal with a publisher. Not in this lifetime. But as long as cyberspace allows me to ink my thoughts - I am keeping this corner.

"Most editors are failed writers - but so are most writers. ~T.S. Eliot

Happy at 3!

This week I am celebrating the birthday week of This Randomness.

Hard to believe that I have been in cyberspace for 3 years now (my first post was in August 28, 2008). In a span of 3 years I had 10,000 plus visitors (including my relatives and friends who I begged to read me!) and 655 posts (all non earth shaking, non substantial or non news worthy). But, I am happy!

I started this blog with no big dreams - except as an online diary I can go back to wherever and whenever I want. From my very first post until now - it seems a lot has changed, yet some things remained the same. I am still the chatty bystander who records how my days passed by or what miffed me. On the other hand - I've added new interests and shuffled priorities. But such is life - blogging or not.

So, What have I done? where am I? and what does the future hold? All my thoughts about blogging I will write about in the next few days. This is my way of saying "cheers" to myself as I continue to blog and blah about my adventures and my life.

~ My blog is the unedited version of myself. ~

Records

This blog has indeed served it's purpose - and that is to be a personal journal. I may write about "other" things once in a while - but in the end, it is always a blog of record.

I wish to continue recording my life in this blog for it has never failed to be my "go-to" for past events I vaguely remember.

Summer Beckons

This Randomness succumbs to Summer's calling*. . .

"A summer's sun is worth the having."
~ French Proverb

*Postings will not be on a regular basis.

Two Years

This blog has been on cyberspace for 2 years now and yet, I let it's 2nd birthday slip by. This is bad...so bad - the deity of blogs must be thinking of punishing me now.

Anyways, it's been 2 years. I am still writing (although not always); some priorities may have changed; and new interests added - but the "recording" part of this blog has remained.

I have no big dreams for this blog - except that it will be here when I want to recall the past. 

Days to Remember

Summer is almost here. Camping, picnics, barbecues, vacations will soon fill my time. I wonder where my blogging will be?

I hope to continue recording in this "cyber" notepad my days to remember.

Now, if only I can find the restart button.

Promoted !

Backseat blogger is now promoted to blog editor! I am not sure if this is a Yeeey ! or an Aahhh, okay.

I am already getting tired of his constant comments such as "wrong grammar", "subject and predicate are not compatible", "wrong tenses", etc. etc.

At first, I did not mind - another set of eyes for a quick run through is really appreciated. What bothers me though, is that he does this only 20 hours after I posted. By then, the post has been read by my 2 avid readers. My postings are usually scheduled, and I have instructed him to read and call my attention for any error before it goes live. He never does. He waits for the 20th hour - when the post is almost stale.

Thus, today I promoted him to blog editor. Mind you however, that I have not given him authority to change any of my thoughts or ideas. The editorial rights is only up to grammar and tenses, period.

If you notice grammatical errors and what nots -- blame it on the editor. At least now I have somebody to blame.

Blogging Holiday

Believe it or not, I take blogging holidays. Those days I stay away from the computer and let another side of me take over - my “creative side”.

Here are some of the cards I made after I organized my craft supplies.

These holidays are not (yet) marked red on your calendar - only in mine.

Check out Deblogged and read about my other leisure.

Better Than Never

This may be a bit late - but as the saying goes. . . better than never. Thanks to backseat blogger for my new lay-out.

In my 6 months of blogging, I think I have changed my look 3-4 times. Before we made the changes, I told him This Randomness lacked personality. This Randomness and DeBlogged looked so similar. I wanted 2 different looks.

Backseat blogger made me draw doodles and take pictures of what I wanted for personality. Shown here are my original sketch and the pictures I took.

Backseat blogger (aka Techie guy) then added his touch to the HTML mumbo jumbo and I got this new lay-out.

Thank God for guys who understand fickle-minded women.

My First Award

No, I did not win an Oscar but Kreez gave me an award recently. Part of accepting the award is to list and link 7 of my favorite blogs. (You can improvise by including bloggers who have no idea who you are, if you don’t have 7 friends).

So, here's my 7 what's and why's :

• Angel's Whisper - Her blog is now part of my daily dose. The angel is just what I need for my daily reminder.
• Grey Chronicles - A technical blog related to the past that was once important to me.
• Amateur's View - a blog of my favorite photographer, need I say more?
• Zen Habits - his blog is practical, useful, informative. Owner does not know me, but I follow him.
• Kreez - ah, to be young and in love
• Undecided - full of surprises, there is no way of telling what she will blog about next
• Pinoy TV Junkie - I read her once in a while. Weird it may be, but hers was the very first blog I read.

Then . . .
1) The receiver is entitled to post the nifty icon on top.
2) Inform your chosen blogs (by leaving them a comment) that they were prized with “Honest Scrap Award”.
3) Finally, the receiver should enumerate 10 honest things about themselves. (Watch for my post tomorrow).

Thank you for the award Kreez, and to all bloggers for providing entertainment. Heart, heart, heart of course to all readers and commentators. You make my day -- always!

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The different feelings I get from blogging.

The Good
I have a new reader from Bangladesh. I don't think she knows me personally, but I just saw in my site meter that she has been reading this blog -- almost regularly now. Doesn't it feel good to have a new blogging friend? These things make me happy and make me feel good.

The Bad
Then, it happened again. A friend told me he assumed the hubby is the one writing my blogs. What? Say that again? Oh, okay, I will keep my thoughts to myself. But I have to say that was not a nice feeling and it made me feel bad.

The Ugly
Actually, there is not much in blogging that makes me feel ugly. I always feel good when I am writing my random thoughts. It is a pleasant time for me when I am alone with soft music on the background. A welcome respite from the office chaos I face everyday. Then those comments/assumptions come to my mind that I begin to feel so bad. Can I not be credited with anything? Ah . . just the sensitive me. So, I turn my thoughts around and think of my other "300" readers (LOL) who believe in my writing capability. I have to - or I will feel ugly.

Is there something that can make you feel good, bad and ugly?

Blogging Authority?

My friend T called from Florida 2 nights ago. She has been wanting to start her own blog -- but cautious as she is -- she had a few questions for me. Wow, me? A blogging authority now? LOL. It was flattering and I hope my answers satisfied and encouraged her to start.

For any reader out there who is thinking of starting their own blog, here are some links I find very useful.

Lorelle

The Blog Herald

Blogssessive

Daily BlogTips

About Com - Weblogs

As most of these sites have existed for years, topics like "Starting a Blog", "Why Blog", or "Is Blogging Right For You?" are already in their archives -- but still accessible. All you have to do is navigate their sites - they are very "newbie-friendly".

For T - I am expecting an e-mail announcing your blog site any time soon!

Deblogged

The holidays "deblogged" me. Deblog is my term for being unplugged from blogosphere, when my entries were mostly pictures, and posted for the sake of posting. That was not very "me".

What does it take to deblog me?
1) Absence of my good old desktop. Laptops/notebooks were available during our mini vacations but, they just don't do it for me. I write and think in my organized chaos from my little corner in my reliable desktop.
2) Lack of familiar sounds. I realized that when I am at home writing, my background sound is the water from our aquarium and jazz. Together, they are so much a part of my blogging stance.
3) Lack of the subway ride and sound. Most of my blog topics are sparked when I am taking the subway alone, looking out the window. Yes, the subway train and my ride is a productive time for me.
4) Non routine activities. Since some blog ideas come when I am doing my household chores or in the middle of my work activities, I became out of synch. Besides, there was too much distraction from shopping, talking, partying, eating, etc.

Being deblogged was a good break for me though.
Blogger or blog reader, what can deblog you?

To Be or Not to Be

As you may have known, I created a separate blog “Life After Steel” (LAS). My purpose for that blog is to reconnect with old friends. Along the way, I also thought of driving a bit of traffic from LAS to this blog. Nothing makes a blogger happy than readers and comments.

My statistics for this blog indicates that 7 of this blog’s readers came from LAS. That should have made me happy, LAS did bring traffic to this blog. That information however brought me to this dilemma. Should my blog’s link be or should not be in Life After Steel.

It feels good to be read by my close friends and relatives. It feels good to be read by my web friends. However, I don’t know if I should feel good knowing I am being read by other people who knows a bit about me, but not really. This is where my conflict lies. Blogging is personal publication. The whole point of blogging is to be read. Why do I suddenly feel so conflicted? I have no idea.

I will make my decision in a week. Meanwhile, I will wait for some of your comments.

I Was (Slightly) Offended

Got a call from a friend last night. We talked about my other blog Life After Steel, telling me he liked it and then he said " Is it E's?(mentioning the hubby's name). I was offended. Really. Why did he ask that question? Do people really think only the hubby is the techie around our house? Do people see me as an extension of my hubby? A shadow ? Going farther, was it a question of gender? Because I am a woman, I cannot be credited for anything. Yes, I concur, the hubby is pretty good with technology -- hardware and software wise. But my blogs are my blogs. The idea, the concept, what I write, my strategy (if there is one) - everything is mine. Sure, I ask him to do some stuff, but only because I find some technical things boring. I'm no luddite, I understand a bit of HTML and RSS and before I started blogging I read, I learned. I lurked. (As if it was the hardest thing to do, LOL).

But, seriously, I could not let go of that comment. For 6 years I coordinated The Christmas Party, for 3 years I decorated the hubby's Christmas parties, for 8 years I have provided our office with my software expertise and a bit of artistic talents. I spent several days and nights, while at work or in the subway, conceptualizing that blog, made drafts and sketches of how I want it to be, set my goal and purpose, then, I was asked that question. Call me sensitive or what, but I was kind of offended.

But it will pass -- I can always forgive a friend. Meanwhile, the hubby finds it very amusing. I did not.