I actually have so much more posts that I needed to upload tonight, however, seeing that I'm already at my 100th post, I decided to devote this post to reflecting on the joys blogging has given me through the years.
A-List Manila started back in 2011, because I had just come out of surgery and was recuperating alone in the condo with nothing better to do. After the first week of watching Grey's Anatomy, and after exhausting myself looking at the Facebook posts of my friends, I decided to upload some pictures that were still stored in my phone.
In uploading the pictures, I wanted to be able to tell the story behind the photo, and that's when I realised Facebook was not going to be enough an avenue for me to share these.
So I started to write.
I am no stranger to writing. When I was in high school in Ateneo, I joined Hilites Magazine. As a freshman, one of my proudest moments was in the first grading period, when the editorial board of Hilites chose my poem to be placed at the back cover of the magazine.
My poem was about a ride from school to the house, and getting stuck in traffic amidst a sudden rain outburst. I heard a tapping on the van's window, and I was face to face with a little girl getting wet in the rain asking for change from me. I was seated, dry and comfortable in the van, and she was soaked to the bone. What made me better than her that fate handed this card that afforded me this comfortable lifestyle?
That's when I wrote Tapping On My Window and it was used as the poem for the launch of Tulong Dunong that year.
I wrote for Hilites for 3 years, and on my 4th year in high school, I became the Editor-in-chief. I still remember my column back then, and it was entitled, Nite Lite.
But then, life took over. And here I thought I would take up Journalism, or Creative Writing, and finish a novel and become a Pulitzer prize winning author.
I did get to finish a novel during the summer break from high school to college, and I was able to share this with some of my friends - never been published though.
Lately, I've been playing with a concept for another novel about a dystopian society - but I haven't gone around establishing the proper ground work for it yet.
The closest I've come to publishing in the past few years is One Serendra's monthly newsletter, but that has ceased as well.
But I continue to write via this platform. Maybe I am able to reach out to people, mostly, I believe I just give basic information - stuff that I would want to see and know about, like where is this shop located, what is the contact number of the restaurant, what's the price-range for this bar. These simple things that I get to do, though, bring me a sense of fulfilment.
Really, I don't know what my audience reach is, and I'm not really aiming to be a well-known blogger - as long as I'm still able to share my thoughts, and my ideas, and my experiences through my words, then I'm good.
It is the Christmas season, and I want to be able to give a random stranger a nice surprise for this holiday season.
It has been a tough and challenging year for me - and whenever I would feel stressed, I would always look forward to going home, lighting up the oil burners and candle warmers, choosing a scent, and putting these on the warming plates.
So to celebrate my 100th post, I will be giving out a Scentsy warmer to a lucky reader who would like to contribute a post to A-List Manila. Email me photos from your favourite restaurant, store, or vacation spot, and tell me your story. The best entry will merit a post here in A-List Manila, and a Scentsy warmer from me! Don't be shy to share, and now is your opportunity to experiment with your writing skills. I'll give you guys until December 21, 2014 to email me your stories and photos. Send these to cruzgold@gmail.com. I'll choose my favourite entry and notify the winner on the 22nd, and post their blurb on my blog - and I'll ensure that you receive the Scentsy warmer for Christmas!
In uploading the pictures, I wanted to be able to tell the story behind the photo, and that's when I realised Facebook was not going to be enough an avenue for me to share these.
So I started to write.
I am no stranger to writing. When I was in high school in Ateneo, I joined Hilites Magazine. As a freshman, one of my proudest moments was in the first grading period, when the editorial board of Hilites chose my poem to be placed at the back cover of the magazine.
My poem was about a ride from school to the house, and getting stuck in traffic amidst a sudden rain outburst. I heard a tapping on the van's window, and I was face to face with a little girl getting wet in the rain asking for change from me. I was seated, dry and comfortable in the van, and she was soaked to the bone. What made me better than her that fate handed this card that afforded me this comfortable lifestyle?
That's when I wrote Tapping On My Window and it was used as the poem for the launch of Tulong Dunong that year.
I wrote for Hilites for 3 years, and on my 4th year in high school, I became the Editor-in-chief. I still remember my column back then, and it was entitled, Nite Lite.
But then, life took over. And here I thought I would take up Journalism, or Creative Writing, and finish a novel and become a Pulitzer prize winning author.
I did get to finish a novel during the summer break from high school to college, and I was able to share this with some of my friends - never been published though.
Lately, I've been playing with a concept for another novel about a dystopian society - but I haven't gone around establishing the proper ground work for it yet.
The closest I've come to publishing in the past few years is One Serendra's monthly newsletter, but that has ceased as well.
But I continue to write via this platform. Maybe I am able to reach out to people, mostly, I believe I just give basic information - stuff that I would want to see and know about, like where is this shop located, what is the contact number of the restaurant, what's the price-range for this bar. These simple things that I get to do, though, bring me a sense of fulfilment.
Really, I don't know what my audience reach is, and I'm not really aiming to be a well-known blogger - as long as I'm still able to share my thoughts, and my ideas, and my experiences through my words, then I'm good.
It is the Christmas season, and I want to be able to give a random stranger a nice surprise for this holiday season.
It has been a tough and challenging year for me - and whenever I would feel stressed, I would always look forward to going home, lighting up the oil burners and candle warmers, choosing a scent, and putting these on the warming plates.
So to celebrate my 100th post, I will be giving out a Scentsy warmer to a lucky reader who would like to contribute a post to A-List Manila. Email me photos from your favourite restaurant, store, or vacation spot, and tell me your story. The best entry will merit a post here in A-List Manila, and a Scentsy warmer from me! Don't be shy to share, and now is your opportunity to experiment with your writing skills. I'll give you guys until December 21, 2014 to email me your stories and photos. Send these to cruzgold@gmail.com. I'll choose my favourite entry and notify the winner on the 22nd, and post their blurb on my blog - and I'll ensure that you receive the Scentsy warmer for Christmas!
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