The 10th Anniversary Retrospective: 2011

.:The 10th Anniversary Retrospective: 2011:.

Yeah, I think this was a better year than 2009 and 2010 combined...

Hmm... 2011. A perfectly good mix of a year, in all honesty. It wasn't overtly amazing (Except for the part where I met Kim Chiuuuuuuu!!!), and there were some clunkers along the way, too, and yeah, losing several friends along the way also proved to not exactly be a great experience, for that matter. Despite that, I think 2011 was a turning point for me because that was when I began to learn how to live my life without My Beloved, assuming that I was never going to see her again.

It was the year where I tried to finally open myself up for life beyond her, but the mistaken notion was that a life beyond her needed someone else to fill the void. Maybe that's where I was wrong: because the attempts I had to fill in that void were pretty regrettable looking back, to say the least. There were very few bright spots, and no, a pretend-relationship via mostly Facebook with Lovey Dovey probably wasn't one of them, nor was the mistake I made sometime October. 

Project 52 in 2011 was all about music. I had a song of the week, reflecting my regular lyrics posts in 2003 or so. This time, I managed to put more impact in doing those music-related posts simply because I had to justify why I was sharing each song in question. This is also why I ended up performing for the Itchyworms several times, including their 15th anniversary show, which has to be one of the biggest highlights of my year as a performer.

The amazing thing, though, is, after January, after CamSur, I discovered that making mistakes isn't such a bad thing anymore. I found out that I had the capability of walking away from mistakes now, and I wasn't going to stick by a mistake until it hurt so much that it was doing far more harm than good to me. I opened and capped off my year with Philo-Sophie, and I realized at that point that I was just being used, much in the same way I allowed myself to be used in 2009 by various people.

2011 was a turning point because I learned better than to let anything bad happening to me stain me permanently. It was when I started seeing how I could turn any lemons my way into lemonade. I also started contributing to Filipino Freethinkers this year.

The low points of 2011 came when Sugarfree disbanded, and AJ Matela passed. And probably the horrible April Fool's day joke bloggers received. The less said about that, the better.

Geekfighting, OGM, these things became part of my life this year all the same. I started opening for Mike Unson, culminating in me being part of Rex Navarette's November show in The Fort. Overall, I was trying so many different things to fill in the void, as I attended the weddings of one of my closest friends, as well as someone I almost got involved with romantically. This is why my first blogpost of the year is also probably the one I'm most proud of having written in 2011: the wedding proposal for no one. And yes, it doesn't matter if in 2012, the first thing I did was contradict myself. When I wrote that post back then, it was really something so true and heartfelt.

Winning a second time in the Philippine Blog Awards wasn't too shabby, either. I must say: 2011 really had a lot of good moments, and it all started when I realized that no matter how much my past still matters to me, I can walk away from it all. 

The sweetest or creepiest gesture I ever received in my life. Let's go with creepy.

And really, that's all there is to it: nine years of blogging in 2011, and I finally learned perhaps the most important lesson of my life: I am resilient. And sometimes, though something may mean the world to me, I need to turn my back on it because what good is holding on to a world going down in flames?

The 10th Anniversary Retrospective: 2009

.:The 10th Anniversary Retrospective: 2009:.

One of the best shows I've ever been involved with.

2009. Just... just screw this year, really.

I mean there were great things, definitely. For example, this is when Bound And Gagged happened, and that also means I managed to stumble upon the happy crew of the Disenchanted Kingdom, which became my radio home for the next three years. I started working in Nuffnang in 2009, so that's a pretty awesome thing as well. This was also the year I started getting into standup comedy, and I still enjoy doing that to this very day. Can't say I could complain about any of those, even if Grin Department scared me out of a year's growth because of their antics. I also went to Ad Congress for the first time ever, and began writing for the Philippine Online Chronicles on this year.

But think about it. I mean, let's even set aside the personal tragedy that this was the year I lost My Beloved. 2009 was just. A. Horrible. Year.

First of all, this was the year Francis Magalona and Michael Jackson passed away. So did Cory Aquino (Quite a tragedy.), which led to us having Noynoy as president (An even greater tragedy.). Considering the fact that more than a few well-loved people also passed on in 2009? Well, wow.

Secondly, this was the year Ondoy happened. I mean, really. screw Ondoy. My mentor in high school, Ms. Edna Rivero, passed away around the time of Ondoy, and I never even knew until 2010.

So really? Screw this year. The good things that began in 2009 carried onwards to better years, and I'd rather think about those years than this dreck.

Still, if I had to pick one favorite entry from 2009, let's go with this one. 2009 marked the year that I won my first PBA trophy, after I hosted it in 2008. It was a crazy year for blogging, truth be told, especially since I coined the term "Patay-Gutom Bloggers" around this time, and unfortunately for other people, they popularized the term, and ended up receiving flak for it.

Man, this year was really the pits.

Just Another Magic Monday: "It's True! It's True!" Wins In The Philippine Blog Awards 2011!

.:And I Am Still Dumbstruck...:.

                                                                                    otakufridge.com

Ang hair ko, umabot hanggang dooooon sa haba!

Yes, this is hardly related to magic, but the moment was, for lack of a better word, magical. Last Saturday night, I was tasked to do voice over duties for the Philippine Blog Awards, as hosted by Ms. Gang Badoy herself. It was pretty amusing when I was asked, because while I graciously accepted the invitation to do so, I jokingly asked Juned if this was his hint that I had no chance of winning that night for either nomination. Juned just smiled and said he's not allowed to comment on stuff like that.

What was very different about this year's program was the fact that there were actually acceptance speeches this time around, which Arbet reminded me about while going over the program. I just casually noted that being the VO guy for the evening meant I wasn't going to win, shrugged, and moved on.

The evening was great, seeing as I met awesome people like the aforementioned Gang Badoy and the Christopher Lao! He seemed a lot shorter than I thought he would, and oddly enough, without his glasses on, he reminded me of Mr. Fu. Nonetheless, it was fun running into him, and to be referred to as the "voice of God" by Gang throughout the evening.

Pretty soon, they got to the part of the awarding ceremonies where my blog was nominated in two different categories. When I didn't win the Personal Category, I kinda assumed that was the end of it already, since that was the one I've been gunning for since 2009, I believe (I was off the grid in 2007 and was the host in 2008, after all.).

Next thing I knew, I was announced as the winner for the best blog in the Society, History, and Politics category.

                                                                                    otakufridge.com

This is how you feel so big and so small at the same time.

I haphazardly went onstage, still shocked (Hades, I still am to this very moment!), joked about loving all 20 of my loyal readers, joked about the fact that I was the disembodied voice throughout the evening, then quietly shuffled to backstage immediately afterwards. Yep, I pretty much didn't have an acceptance speech at all, but that's okay. This is my blog, so I get to do that here.

First of all, I'd like to thank the judges of the Philippine Blog Awards for the recognition of this blog. I've been blogging since 2002, so winning something like this, without a doubt, is truly a great honor for me. I still cannot contain my joy over this great recognition, and it never gets old. I've won best Philippine Blog in the Flying Chair Asian Blog Awards in 2003, then won one of the top 10 best blog posts in the Philippine Blog Awards in 2009, and yet, this honor couldn't have come at a better time, for me.

I am very honored that despite splitting my writing between this blog, The POC, Filipino Freethinkers, and, for a while, Filipino Voices, my blog still managed to strike a chord with the people who have read it in ways that I didn't quite expect. I've always been an autobiographical blogger, so it comes a bit surprising to me that my life has taken a turn towards the societal, historical, or political aspects of this nation. Sure, I do political satire here and there even in my blog, but I realized that with no active desire to stay relevant via my blog, my life itself has given me the opportunity to do and say something relevant that I can only hope brings, aside from the lulz, some measure of knowledge or dare I say enlightenment, no matter how unenlightened my position may or may not get.

To the people who do read this, know that I can only be grateful that you like what you see. I really can't please everyone, so I only ever write for my own sake, because I'm pretty much the only person I have any business representing in an official capacity, even if I do try my best to put forth a great picture of the Philippine Magic Industry in my blog every now and then.

I guess what I hope people take away from my blog is that I am a multi-faceted person with something to say. Whether or not you agree or even find what I have to say interesting, at the very least, I hope you can see where I am coming from and how I have come to form the opinions or even convictions I hold onto.

I have no illusions that this win would bring me to the upper echelon of recognized bloggers whose every word people wait on with bated breath. I have no illusions that my writing will directly engender changes in this nation, unless I myself take a direct, pro-active stand offline as well. I have no illusions that my writing would magically become more prolific and more enticing for consumption for the general public. Hades, I'm even shy about showing my own mother my own blog, despite the fact that I don't really write anything embarrassing about myself here.

What I do know, though, is that I will keep writing because I have something to say. I have always believed that is the first reason someone would want to blog, and that is reason enough for me to keep on doing what I have been doing for the past nine years in my own little corner in the web, ever since I realized I can't read my old diaries anymore because of my atrocious handwriting.

I'd like to thank Cracked because their sense of humor has influenced my writing immensely, and hopefully for the better. I'd like to thank the POC and the Freethinkers for having faith (I use that word very loosely, Freethinkers!) in my writing as well. Of course, I'd also like to thank everyone who has touched my life and been a part of this blog, really. It's hard to name all of you, but you know who you are. Obviously, without you, there'd have been at least one less entry for me to write, and as an archivist by nature, that would've been a travesty.

And the only thing I regret not having said onstage would be... I'd like to dedicate this win to someone who was, without a doubt, someone who did effect change in society, whether within the blogosphere or through his personal advocacies. Thank you, AJ Matela. I miss you, and I think that it is fitting for me to dedicate this honor to you, because you have, in your own way, sparked a revolution of minds and hearts, in life and in death.

Thank you, one and all, and I hope that my life continues to intersect with what is relevant and important to this nation, even if what I personally have to say about it doesn't always live up to the same standard.

                                                                                                                                             azraelcoladilla.com

Congratulations, one and all!

Randomicity Upon Mine Head

.:Fabucelles Is Back:.

I don't know about you, but it's always entertaining to read Fabucelles do his take on show business. It's pretty amazing how much hoopla there has been over the KC Concepcion-Piolo Pascual breakup, considering how little talk there has been about "Oplan Put The Little Girl To Sleep" in contrast.

That being said, even Fabucelles, in a heavy showbiz article, took the time out to sidetrack into that a bit as well. It's a really interesting picture, really, because all snark aside, there really is no need to put all this undue attention upon them. Their relationship, real or reel as it may be, is over. Just like many relationships out there, really.

I guess it's just so much easier for us to look at a car crash than to look away, huh?

.:Thank You, Philippine Blog Awards!:.

Do I expect a win? No, not really, what with the competition I have lined up against me.

Nonetheless, thanks to the Philippine Blog Awards for naming me as a finalist for "Best Personal Blog" and "Best Society, History, and Politics Blog."

The latter nominee has certainly surprised me, seeing how most of my political or society writings are either on The POC or Filipino Freethinkers.

Thank you, thank you, and I hope to continue writing in this humble blog of mine, especially come 2012, when I celebrate a decade of blogging (I plan to do something huuuuge for this!)!

The PBA 2010 Personal Roundup

.:The 2010 Philippine Blog Awards Retrospective:.

Movie poster moment! (Image courtesy of Ryan H)

This year was a year where blogging has gained mainstream recognition in ways we never thought possible a mere year or two ago. From the very express inclusion of bloggers in the campaign plans of most candidates to the strides bloggers have taken to effect change within this nation, 2010 was a continuation of the seeds planted in 2009 that really shone at its brightest in the aftermath of Ondoy.

My Acceptance Speech...

.:The Philippine Blog Awards 2009 Not-So-Megapost:.

Lemme start with my quick thank-you video...

It was a crazy night, but it was still a night to remember. As I donned my white Dutch cap and stepped into PETA Theater where our show, Bound And Gagged, will be held on October 23, it was good to run into old friends like Karen and Maro, as we talked about everything from doing a Kanye West ad nauseam to the possibility of having another Bitter Ocampo writing about not winning the award (but not caring that he or she didn’t, no siree…) yet again.

Thing is, while I was nominated for the Top 10 Best Blog Posts Of The Year, I certainly didn’t expect to win at all. I still believe that my best post ever was The Rick Astley Megapost, but as luck would have it, my nominated post turned out to be rather… intriguing.

This year’s theme was “One Blogging Nation”, and as I saw a Jose Rizal analogue talking to an Andres Bonifacio analogue (Both, I believe, played by Vince Golangco.), I realized how much I see my post in the hilarious video clip. Still, did that tell me I had a shot at winning? Hades, no. With amazing writers like DJ and even the crew of TNL, I felt like a gnat surrounded by giants.

But lo and behold, when they started awarding the Top 10 posts, I was the first one they called onstage, and I was stunned. So I went up onstage, and I was still wide-eyed and I could hear the heckler’s section, composed of myself, Maro, Ade, and Noelle, and they were delivering their ribs at me audibly from the back. I didn’t care. I was just gobsmacked, and for the rest of the night, I was clutching that trophy like it was never going out of style.

I’d like to also congratulate sir Jim Paredes for winning, as well as fellow rusher, the Professional Heckler for winning. I’d mention Aileen, Noemi, Janette, as well, but if I went on, I’d end up congratulating everyone who won. Maro won a couple of awards, too, and of course, he got the much-coveted Commentary blog award, among other things. Ade went home empty-handed, hence his rather bitter post.

Mica was a big winner that night, though, as she won the blogger’s choice award, and well-deservedly so. See the picture here courtesy of Fritz.

Maro, Mica, and I are winners. Ade is not. Neener neener neener...

In all seriousness though, I’d like to thank Ian Uy, whose post, abrasive thought it may have been, inspired me to come up with my first Lost Gems post.

Sometimes, it’s the tough questions that makes you look really long and hard at yourself, and from there, you manage to draw out the truest, purest, most well thought-out response. Yeah, the post was a bit humorous and all, but it did get its point across rather well.

Ian, I have but one last rejoinder to you…

You said in your post that Koreans have something to be proud of, while in contrast, you find it difficult to find anything to be proud of in this country, with all the corruption, lack of discipline, and apathy that mires the Philippines. It’s difficult, to say the least, and it’s certainly a bit bleak at times, perhaps even hopeless in some other cases.

In light of the Ondoy and Pepeng tragedies, and the everyday heroes that rose through the ashes to help each other, despite all the politicking, despite all the looting and racketeering, think upon those who chose to rise above all of that pettiness and just genuinely help others just because it’s a good thing to do.

I hope, dear Ian, that in the aftermath of these storms, you finally found a reason to be proud to be a Filipino. I know I did. :)

Thanks for giving me a chance to look deeply into the core of my psyche and find in myself why I’m proud to be a Filipino, no matter what idiotic government we may be under, or whatever latest international brouhaha we commit faux pas after faux pas in. When push comes to shove, the Filipino can.

One blogging nation. Now, more than ever, I believe this to be true.

But darn, I still think the Rick Astley post should've won.

Here are the list of winners of the 2009 Philippine Blog Awards:

SPECIAL AWARDS
Best Blog Design – The Site Guy
Best Filipino Blog Abroad – The Warped Zone
Best Foreign Blog – My Sari Sari Store
Blogger’s Choice – Micamyx
Best Filipiniana Blog – Pilipino Komiks

TEN BEST POSTS OF THE YEAR

Karnabal by Tuyong Tinta ng Bolpen
Finding Your Soul Mate: A Statistical Analysis by Guttervomit
Lost Gems Of Philippine History: The 1896 Board Meeting by It’s true! It’s true!
The Diving Boys of Quezon Bridge by Dennis Villegas
Twenty Pesos by Lostphotograph
The way of the leaf by SMOKE
Portrait of a dramatic highlight in Nick Joaquin’s A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino by Gibbs Cadiz
Kaya Dumarami ang Bading Kasi… by Manila Gay Guy
The Parable of the Furry White Rabbit by Good Times Manila
The Amazing Bulul: A Story of Epiphany by The Cat Whisperer

BEST BLOGS

Best Technology Blog – Jaypee Online
Best Travel Blog – Langyaw – Sojourns and Off-the-Beaten Path Travels
Best Entertainment Blog – Lessons From the School of Inattention
Best Personal Blog – Writing on Air
Best Food & Beverage Blog – Table for Three, Please
Best Family & Living Blog – Make or Break
Best News & Media Blog – Virtual Journals
Best Business Blog – Negosyo Ideas
Best Sports Blog – Fire Quinito
Best Hobby & Recreation Blog – Bearbrick Love
Best Fashion Blog – Who is Elyoo?
Best Photoblog – I Am a Documentary Photographer
Best Culture and Arts Blog – magnetic-rose.net: Japanese Pop Culture for Filipino Fans
Best Commentary Blog – The Marocharim Experiment
Best Videocast Blog – Entrepbuff.com
Best Podcast Blog – Brink Notes Entertainment Daily
Best Humor Blog – The Professional Heckler
Best Gaming Blog – Blog Mike Got Game!
Best Advocacy Blog – Autism Society of the Philippines
Best Beauty Blog – The Doctor Is vaIN

NOT a winner: Noisy, Noisy Man

Wheee!!!

.:October 23 Is Almost Upon Us:.

Much love goes out to our sponsors, Nuffnang, Sheero Media, C2, Granny Goose Tortillos, and Jack ‘n’ Jill Potato Chips! We are definitely excited as preparations are underway for “Bound and Gagged”, and needless to say, with over a hundred tickets sold already, you really don’t want to miss out on this, as seating is only for about 450 guests, and more tickets are already being snapped up, as we speak.

See you there, guys, and be wowed and amazed by the magic and mentalism of the Penn and Teller of the Philippines, Kel and Jay; the inimitable ventriloquism of Ony Carcamo and Wanlu; the wit and humor of Richie Fernandez and Mike Unson; and the unmistakable music of Grin Department and Giniling Festival.

We are doing this show for the benefit of The Real Life Foundation, one of the organizations that first mobilized during the Ondoy tragedy. We hope that this is a good way to continue the good work this country has done for the sake of those afflicted by this typhoon.

Catch you guys on October 23! It’s definitely going to be a blast!

… but before that, do drop in on the Philippine Blog Awards tomorrow as well, as yours truly is nominated as one of the top 10 best blog posts of the year. And, oh, like us, their event Is happening in PETA Theater, and they were more than kind to provide very clear directions! :D

Test...

On Sourgrapes And Bad Sports

.:As Ateneo Celebrates, As PBA Winners Celebrate… Look Upon The Disgruntled But Noisy Few…:.

As The Blue Eagles Soar High…

By now, everybody knows that Ateneo swept La Salle in the UAAP Men’s Basketball Finals yesterday. It was one of the few times I watched the game, and I was actually having some friendly banter with Doc Tess, who was from DLSU.

It was all good-natured laughs. Everyone knows I was never a hardcore Ateneo team fan, since I grew up as a Bosconian, more than anything else. My allegiance is mainly to DBTC, rather than ADMU. I’m not sure how seriously pro-DLSU Doc Tess was, but I knew it was all good-natured bantering.

I’m sure, in general, that’s really how it works. I have lots of friends from DLSU who were gracious enough to congratulate me personally solely because they know I’m from ADMU. When ADMU lost to DLSU in 2001, I pretty much had the same reaction, extending congratulations to my friends from DLSU. It’s a Sports rivalry, and we believe it should stay like that.

But then, I stepped into the UAAP section of PEX. What I found was just terrible… you have a few bitter DLSU users, calling every single play the way they saw it with their green-tinted glasses. You naturally had some ADMU users who rubbed it in that DLSU lost, and the bitter DLSU users fought back by insisting that the referees were in the ADMU payroll.

Ateneo had a strong season, losing only once the entire Season 71. The team played hard, and the referees were clearly very strict this game, because it didn’t matter who did the hand-check, a hand-check would be whistled. The game was played as fair as fair could be, and by the end of the night, the commanding 11-point lead cemented the game for the Blue Eagles.

Do I have to go at length to defend the Ateneo team? Quite frankly, I’m not that invested in it to want to. The game spoke for itself. The team was hungry for the win. After the embarrassing Guidon article “predicting” an Ateneo win in 2006 when DLSU was disqualified, we didn’t want to make any hasty proclamations and shoot ourselves in the foot again. The team worked hard, and they deserve their props. If DLSU won and ADMU made similar allusions to how we were “cheated”, I’d probably still be writing this post with the same message anyways.

You see, when the DLSU team no-showed the awarding ceremony, that reeked of unsportsmanly conduct to me. If ADMU did the same had they lost, I wouldn’t be happy about it, either. It was a show of bitterness: a display that gave the message to the people in attendance and to poor Boom Gonzales as he stood there, blankly waiting for the team, that the DLSU team is above the motions of graciously receiving an honor when they believe they deserve more.

If they truly feel they were cheated, DLSU’s team must file a complaint. They will take it to the proper authorities, and assuming the referees were proven to be biased, they will replay the game, or worse, revoke the ADMU title and give it to DLSU.

The team in particular has a spotty record. Everytime they lose, they blame it on something else: be it Mike Cortez throwing the game, or FEU threatening the DLSU players (HOW?!?), or whatever other cockamamie reason that comes along. All the while, we’re supposed to ignore why DLSU was barred from the UAAP for Season 69: what they did wasn’t exactly in the spirit of “fair play”, either, was it? You’d think that the team that has a spotty record would be the most tolerant of, assuming but not conceding, spotty referee decisions? This is not even considering the same allegations hurled against DLSU last season by their opponent in the finals: that the referees were on their payroll.

At this point, they have every opportunity to file a complaint if they feel they were unfairly cheated of a win. Otherwise, they will be recognized as the terrible sports that they exposed themselves to be when they no-showed the awarding ceremony.

As PBA Achieves Greater Heights…

This year, the Philippine Blog Awards was met by much fanfare, and even gained a ton of mainstream media coverage. The awards night was the culmination of months upon months of effort brought about by a collaboration of organizers, sponsors, and volunteers.

As one of the hosts of that night, I witnessed firsthand the sheer amount of effort everyone poured into the event. The actual blogs who won were very well-done, and if there were any questions, the organizers are receptive enough to suggestions and complaints. All that need be done is to take it to the right avenues.

Imagine my personal surprise then, when people started questioning the integrity of the awards night. It made no sense! People were nitpicking everything. It was especially infuriating how some very lazy people clearly ignored obvious things…

We had someone forgetting that a Sponsored award is not in the jurisdiction of the Philippine Blog Awards anymore. If you have a problem with the award, take it up with the Sponsor.

We had someone who was attacking Benj for being proud of his mom. That was one of the nicest things about Benj’s win, truth be told. I don’t understand why this is a bad thing.

We had someone claiming he doesn’t care about awards but dedicates multiple entries to emphasize the point. That is just so self-contradicting it’s pathetic.

We have some people insinuating that the Philippine Blog Awards was a “may the best friends win” affair (Hint: I wasn’t even nominated. No, it’s not.). Are you seriously suggesting that these volunteers did it for the awards? Or are you suggesting that the judges can be swayed by that? Either way, I’d like you to say it to their faces.

We have someone too lazy to send five of their own entries for judging. In case you haven’t realized it yet, there are over two hundred, positively close to five hundred, different blogs nominated. Are you seriously expecting a small team of screeners to perfectly go through every single blog nominated and ferret out what makes their blog good? Have a heart, jeez! Nobody’s paying them to do this, and the least you can do is to make the selection process more streamlined. Besides, I’m sure you’d complain your best entries must’ve been ignored if you don’t have a chance to hype them anyways…

We have someone complaining that bloggers are elitist. That’s ridiculous. When a group of people can tolerate (Emphasis on the choice of words.) a guy like Mike Abundo, who can’t the Pinoy blogosphere get along with? If you’re being anti-social, that’s not the fault of the people around you. We don’t bite.

We have someone thinking they were shifted categories so that the volunteers will get an advantage. Wrong. You were nominated in multiple categories, but became a finalist only in a special award… one that doesn’t require the five-entry rule. Learn to read more, please.

We have people who, instead of taking their complaints to the proper avenues, to Brian Gorell. With all due respect to Brian, I hoped that before you published such an allegation, you would’ve checked with the organizers first and asked for their side. This one-sided tirade is terribly lopsided and marginalizes the other side, and in the end, the people reading your blog get the wrong impression about the Philippine Blog Awards. It would’ve been fine if you would give the other side an opportunity to defend themselves, but we understand that you had to address this and we have no right to expect that from you.

Most of all, we have people who are too spineless to make a formal complaint and use a trial by publicity to sow discord in the community. We call these people trolls in forum lingo. They don’t file a formal complaint because they know all too well that their allegations don’t have a leg to stand on.

Normally, when you have a problem with something, you bring it up before the problem comes to a head. Obviously, you brought up these issues only for the sake of bringing up these issues, not to resolve anything. Whether you’re sourgraping, trolling, or being a jackass, you’re not helping one bit.

The Point Of This Exercise…

For the DLSU team, if you feel that you were cheated, I respectfully ask you to file a formal complaint. Let’s get to the bottom of this with an investigation that can really bring the truth to light.

For the haters of the Philippine Blog Awards, the organizers are an actual corporation. If you feel they are doing something sneaky or underhanded, then file a formal complaint. You can actually sue them (Just like you can be sued for libel.). Let’s get to the bottom of this with an investigation that can really bring the truth to light.

I am sick and tired of these ridiculous accusations flying around, going unchecked. You feel it’s so cool to air your side out without anyone challenging you. Consider yourself challenged. If you can’t, then obviously, you’re just rabble-rousing, and we’ve pretty much established that with your clearly myopic point of view that refuses to see anything good about the Philippine Blog Awards.

Congratulations to the winners, the organizers, the volunteers of the Philippine Blog Awards. You worked hard for all of this, and nobody has the right to insist you don’t deserve it. Eff ‘em all.

The PBA Megarant: An Open Letter To The Haterz

.:On Critics And Haters: The Necessary Sidebar:.

I was supposed to bring this up in the previous post, but I decided against it so that I can save the vitriol from contaminating it. So instead, I split this section off so I can dedicate my attention to it more.

As one of the hosts that night, I worked exceptionally hard to do what I did. I’m certain I wasn’t alone in that effort, though. You had my co-hosts, you had the people in charge of the AVP's, you had the voice-over dude, you had the organizers, the other volunteers, you had a ton of different people who poured their heart and soul into this. So when I hear unfair and unfounded criticisms regarding the blogging awards, I certainly feel the need to get on my soapbox and address them.

“If they’re so insignificant, why let them affect you?”

The thing is, these accusations are not insignificant. They are attempts at undermining the integrity of the event. If enough people hear this and believe it, what is supposed to be a great night of solidarity and celebration among bloggers becomes a parody that nobody respects or cares about.

Pretty much the way I saw it during the Campus 99.5 hullabaloo, we had people piling on sheer hatred on the awards night for no other reason than to pour hatred on the awards night. If it really didn’t mean a thing to them, they wouldn’t even write about it now, would they?

We poured blood, sweat, and tears into this. To classify our efforts as a joke is an insult to us, and to our dignity as honest, decent, honorable people, and any attempt to undermine that is tantamount to calling us liars and cheaters at worst, or incompetent idiots at best.

Allow me to go over these contentions like a shopping list…

1. “We need to choose five of our entries? So you made me a judge?” – No. You are not a judge. What you are doing is helping your chances of winning by pointing out what about your blog is worth noting. I’m sorry, but if it took me two hours to find five entries for myself, expecting a small team of screeners to go over 200 or so nominees exhaustively is ridiculous. Nobody's paying these people to do it. They are doing it to the best of their capability, taking time away from their job/studies/family commitments for no other reason than a desire to help. They’re not slaves. Stop treating them as if they were.

2. “Why did so-and-so win? Aren’t they volunteers?” – They won because they were good. Their volunteer status had nothing to do with their winning. Coy, specifically, has been one of the top video bloggers in the country. Candy Magazine itself acclaims this fact, as do many other people who have already acquired Coy’s services because of his mad video skillz. So y'know, if you don't think Coy's the bestest since slice bread, well... YOU'RE WRONG!!!

3. “I was shifted categories; therefore, I was cheated.” – No, Bitter Ocampo. You weren’t shifted categories. You were not nominated in one category, but you were nominated in another. The special awards have different guidelines from the main awards. That explains why special awards in general don’t follow the “five posts of your choice” rule.

4. “The Special Awards were announced last-minute! We demand a recount!” – Yes. Because not only do we make demands of the organizers, we now make demands from the sponsors of the event, expecting them to ignore what they think is best for them just to cater to lil’ ol’ us. I’m sure if, say, RX 93.1 sponsored a blog award, we’d expect the blog that wrote how amazing Magic 89.9 was should be the deserving winner. Of course.

5. “How is this Filipino? Nobody’s speaking in Filipino!!!” – Eh kung hindi ka rin naman pala tanga’t kalahati… ano ba yung una kong sinabi nung umakyat ako ng stage? At bakit? Hindi ka ba Pinoy kung nag-Iingles ka? Baka naman gusto mong isip-isipin iyang pinagtatatalak mo.

6. “Elitism!!!” – Really? Jay Mata, my partner in magic, doesn’t even blog. In spite of that, he fits right in with the bloggers to a good extent, and still manages to take their breath away when he performs. Let’s put it this way… we’re not being elitist… you’re being anti-social. We don’t go out of our way to make you feel unwelcome. Hades, I started off not knowing who these people are! But because I reach out and talk to them, the ice is broken. Is that too hard to do?

7. “The judges are biased!” – Now you’re just making accusations. Are you seriously going to impugn the names of people like MLQ3 or JJ Disini? Would you like to make these insinuations to their face? Please. Nobody’s stopping you.

8. “Your award is a joke!” - No. You're a joke. You hide behind anonymity, then expose yourself by demanding an apology from the person you insulted? Oh. My. God. Ang kapal ng mukha mo. Nobody deserved that award more than Arpee did, and you know it.

9. “It’s just an award. I don’t need awards.” – Well, good for you. I’m glad you spent so much effort telling us exactly how much you don’t care about these awards. Nakailang entry ka na ba to drive home this point?

I won’t impede your right to rant and rave on your personal space and assail the character of people who worked hard for this event. I have no authority to do that.

However, I will wholeheartedly call you out on your misconceptions, on your erroneous presumptions, and your outright lies. Just as you are free (Within legal liabilities, mind you.) to sourgrape and act like one of the cool kids by being contrarian and counterflowing,

Seriously, what’s this bull#$%^ indie mentality for, anyways? If you genuinely don’t want recognition for your efforts, cool. We respect that. But for you to go out of your way and paint the people who vie for awards as “sell-outs” or “cliquish”? What’s up with that? How is that a bad thing?

I mean, how dare these people want to be recognized for their hard work and efforts, right? You’re like those elitist fans who think that when their favorite indie band gets signed to a major label, they’re “sellouts” and no longer deserve their support. How dare they want to feed their families and earn money, right?

So y’know what? If you think that the awards night wasn’t perfect, well and good. We acknowledge that. There’s always room for improvement.

However, once you begin to assail the integrity of the organizers, judges, and volunteers, expect that we will not only defend ourselves, but take umbrage to your accusations.

I have been, for the six years of my existence in the blogosphere, a very nonpartisan blogger, never jumping to one side or another whenever some big issue comes along. I have to put my foot down on this one, though.

It’s one thing to criticize an event for its shortcomings. It’s another to impugn the reputation of the people who made this event possible, and I will not take such allegations lightly. Not when I've seen these people myself work hard, give their all, and the least you could do is appreciate what they did as a genuine, sincere effort to give the Philippine Blogosphere a shot in the arm it certainly deserves.

The Philippine Blog Awards 2008 Megapost!

.:The Philippine Blog Awards 2008 Megapost!:.

Image courtesy of Azrael.

With the aftermath upon us, and everything else leading to the event finally behind us, now’s a good time for me to gather my thoughts, shove aside my posts on the TSC Mentalism Workshop and my last gig to the side (As well as my thesis. Again. Grumble. Can’t help it.), and write about the Philippine Blog Awards 2008.

As is the case with all my mega-posts, this will be as detailed as humanly possible, and will be written from a very biased POV: mine. So pretty much, while I will be more than happy to refer you to other posts when necessary, but for the most part, since my POV is limited to what goes around my immediate vicinity, you can’t expect me to cover any “internal dialogue” outside of my own. =P

Without any further ado, here… we… go!

The Year That Was (Last Year): Philippine Blog Awards 2007

The infamous prayer controversy was probably the most heated topic of those awards, almost (Emphasis on almost) overshadowing the fact that stellar bloggers such as Shari Cruz were among the first winners of the Philippine Blog Awards. There was controversy (Just like any awards show! Was this even a surprise?) that year, and I missed out on most of it, because I was completely out of the loop during the awarding month.

Last year was of note to me, because I was supposedly going to host the event, but then, they couldn’t reach me at all, since my phone was stolen, so nobody could get to my Globe phone. Nonetheless, I made certain that this year wouldn’t yield the same result.

For those keeping track, yes, that’s Benj, this year’s winner of Best Personal Blog, who was up in arms over the prayer. It’s easy to see he wasn’t the event’s biggest fan because of the prayer, so that alone should give you a hint about the judging process by the time we get to a specific sidebar I have to breach on in this post.

This Year’s Changes: Bigger And Better

After taking in suggestions from various bloggers, the Philippine Blog Awards 2008 increased their awarding divisions not only to accommodate more blog niches, but even individual posts. As early as around March or April, I was already asked by one of the organizers to host the event, and I was all too happy to agree. The event was initially scheduled on July, then moved to August, then finally to September.

Aside from having more categories (Again, see the main Philippine Blog Awards site for the detailed list.) and individual posts on the lineup, several special awards were likewise given, and were obviously subject to different rules given they were, after all, sponsored awards.

From the RCBC auditorium, the venue was instead going to be in One Esplanade near Manila Bay. The event was going to be hosted not by one, not by two, but by four excellent hosts, working in tandems…

Image courtesy of Let’s Go Sago.

There were a lot of changes from the first Philippine Blog Awards, and most of them were certainly for the better.

The Road To September 21: Arduous

Normally, when you go hang out with bloggers, it’s a generally light-hearted affair. But as the event drew nearer and nearer, you could almost literally see the organizers sweating blood. The logistics, the planning, the judging, everything had to be done right. If you can’t have perfection, aim for it, still, after all, and so I would run into an exceptionally harried Juned, a very concerned Tita Noemi, and an epitome of grace under pressure in Gail. Jayvee was pretty much the only guy who looked completely unaffected, but then, I hardly saw him.

Planning was steady. The volunteers for the event would meet regularly and talk about various aspects of the program that needed to be addressed with. There was nothing half-baked about this effort. The screening committee had to filter through countless entries and nominees, and cut the list down to ten for the judges to go over. Needless to say, it was a long process that took many sleepless nights, considering how much time it would take to go over hundreds of nominees from all walks of life and all kinds of temperaments.

Obviously, you can’t please everybody. At the end of the day, though, this was a very transparent, democratic process, and all anyone had to do was to actually read and they’d understand how the system worked. It wasn’t perfect, but imperfection does not equal carelessness or petiks. There will always be snags here and there.

During the press launch at Red Box Greenbelt, I hosted it and took the time out to hang out and talk with a few of the organizers. The lack of sleep was taking a toll on them, but they were doing this labor of love to the best of their abilities, no matter how difficult it was.

Not to mention they tolerated my dubious videoke skillz, which is an even bigger plus for them, as I went ahead and sang Rick Astley, High School Musical, and yes, Salbakuta, after the press launch.

So after the Monday press launch last September 8, the stage was set for the event. With many last-minute changes meant to improve the program, it was admittedly difficult to make everything fall into place at an earlier point, but it was inevitable.

Glitches: Such Is The Nature Of The Beast

A mild tempest occurred when Benj noted that he was nominated for “Best Commentary Blog” despite having what he mainly considers a personal blog. Upon closer investigation, it turns out that a glitch in the system made it so that anyone whose blog was already nominated in one category did not become nominated in another, and since Personal Blogs were the last ones to have nominees, a lot of eligible nominees were eliminated from consideration.

A quick overhaul was made, and in true buzzer-beater fashion, the official nominees for this particular category were handed out about 24 hours before awarding.

At this point, it becomes clear that no “moving” of categories actually occurred. Blogs are eligible for more than one category, after all, if their blog warrants it. That much should be clear, and any ignorant comments contrary to that should be taken with a proverbial grain of salt. Again, all it takes is to read. Something that, under normal circumstances, we are supposed to assume bloggers are capable of doing.

A Note On My Co-Host: Why Tiffany Chua Rocks

Image courtesy of Nina.

Tiffy is not only one of the Manila Foodistas (That is, one of the Top Ten Emerging Influential Blogs Of 2008.), but she is a speed cuber: she can solve a rubik’s cube in under one minute, a feat I can manage in thirty seconds… and five minutes. =P

So we know she’s smart, we know she’s witty, and we know she’s a sight for sore eyes. What I felt was there that most other people may not have realized is that she’s a natural as a host, so I pushed for her as my co-host, knowing full well that she would definitely acquit herself splendidly.

Of course, our fellow co-hosts AJ and Kring were equally (If not more so) sensational, and if you don’t believe me, why don’t you sample our mad hosting skillz here, courtesy of Azrael?

Check out more videos in Azrael’s video coverage of the Philippine Blog Awards!

Needless to say, for a first-time host for a big-time event, she did marvelously. Was there ever any doubt? I’m sure Arpee would agree that Tiffy was a great choice to host that night…

The Main Event: Unstoppable!

On that day, I was going to be exceptionally worn out, as I actually came from a magic show in Taguig, as Jay Mata and I performed for Balloon Creations before heading out to the Philippine Blog Awards. The initial plan was that we were going to be part of the ceremony as a short intermission, but clearly, with 36 awards or so to give out, any Kel and Jay performance would have to be set aside for the after-party, and given three hours of non-stop magic in Taguig, we were all too happy to oblige.

I got there and found out that I was partially written out of the script in anticipation of the fact they knew I would arrive late, but surprisingly, I arrived about ten or so minutes before showtime. Despite that, I still wasn’t in the opening spiel, which was fine and dandy. I was going to stand out like a sore thumb since all other three hosts were in black, and I, being one half of Kel and Jay, chose to have suits only in bright and light colors, as you must’ve noticed by now.

I was ribbed about my suit, but let’s face it: I knew I could get away with it. Call me Colonel Sanders or Brother Mike or John Travolta or Kuya Germs, but I like the effing suit, so sue me.

Keynote Speaker: Senator Mar Roxas

Image courtesy of Phoebe.

While I won’t go right into the meat of Senator Roxas’ speech, I just wanted to point out that it was good of him to remind the people that last September 21 was the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law. Whether or not you agree with the Senator’s points, it’s imperative for us to never forget that day, and to always be vigilant.

I was born Marcelle Michael Bertrand Fabie y Timbol, two of my three names given to me in honor of Ninoy Aquino, who arrived here in the Philippines after exile as “Marcial Bonifacio”. He was shot dead at the Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983, about a month and eight days before I was born. Though I never went through the hardships of Martial Law, I’ll be damned if I stood by and let it happen to this country again. I believe very strongly in the freedom of expression, and I may not agree with what a lot of people around me have to say, but by God, I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.

And that’s my political sidetrack for the day. Heh.

And, oh… this: a freedom wall, that represents what blogging is all about, and how as long as the bloggers exercise their right to be heard, we would hope to never again have to face the horrors of Martial Law and the suppression of Truth…

Image courtesy of Phoebe.

The Winners: Congratulations To All Of You!

Most bloggers have already given a comprehensive list of winners, and one of the first was of course, Jester, who won two awards himself, and was with a “trophy” that night, as well (Ask him about it, I’m not at liberty to tell.).

But then, aside from sneaking in a Rick Astley reference, there were some winners who really jumped out to me, and I was exceptionally happy for them, to say the least. While I still don’t know if it’s “cate-gory” or “ca-tegory”, I was happy to see some of the people I was rooting for get the nods, such as Sir Martz and Doc Tess. Of course, I was especially pleased for “Boy Blogger of the Year” Cokskiblue for winning as well. Tiffy and I were bantering and I was on the receiving end of her ribbing, but she was funny, nonetheless.

Of course, I was exceptionally happy because Arpee won a special award from Blogbank: “The Blogger, not the Blog” award, which really just underscored why everybody loves Arpee…

Image courtesy of Phoebe.

And yeah, don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t deserve the award, Arpee! It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy!

It was also amusing to note that there was a divided audience when I mentioned how ADMU was beating DLSU in the Game 1 UAAP finals during that night…

Of course, when we were finally getting to one of the hotly contested categories (And the only one I was hoping to get a nomination in but didn’t.), there was much anticipation who the winner of “Best Personal Blog” would be. Tiffany and I were rather clueless, since Arbet was handing the results to us only a second or two before we read them off, and we were mostly too bedazzled by Fritz’s special-effects and the intro videos featuring people such as yours truly, AJ, and Byahilo.

I looked at the sheet of paper, and I was stunned… is this even possible? The most vociferous critic of last year’s awards was now the winner of the Personal Blog division?!?

“The winner… you just have to thank God for this… Atheista.net!!!”

And with raucous applause, people gave their approval to Benj, one of the most controversial but deserving winners that night: the very same guy who was almost not even nominated in the category because of a system glitch. It was an act of God, no less (I’m sure Benj would disagree, though. Hehe.).

And with a very affectionate, “I love you mom!” Benj graciously accepted the award.

Other special awards were likewise given out by AJ and Kring, but I especially took note of the stuff that transpired when Arpee and Benj won. I ribbed Doc Tess that I was more doctor-looking than her that night…

All in all, well-deserved awards. If you seriously question if a winner deserved their award, I dare you to take it up with the organizers. If not, then obviously, you’re just speculating on empty.

The After-Party And The After-After Party…

After the whole thing, the whole night was simply a night filled with even more celebration. Latecomer Mr. A showed up and found out that I ribbed him during the opening of the show, and discovered that we were intending to make him a host, since we anticipated he’d gatecrash anyways.

Some TV networks even covered the Blog Awards, and we are treated to a nice little feature in the news programs…

Also as expected, Jay Mata freaked people out with his performance during the after-party, and I gave them a bit of a teaser with the Shanghai Shackles, all the same.

I’m a tad saddened I got there late, so I missed out on a Cliquebooth session with my three co-hosts… aww…

Having said all that, it would be an injustice if I tried rattling off the bloggers whom I remembered that night one by one, so I’ll just let Jehzlau do a nice little roundup of the different people present and had something to say about the Philippine Blog Awards. It was a great event, overall, and I must say that despite some disturbing pictures, it was a really great event, and a job well done for all the organizers, volunteers, and sponsors who made things possible.

After giving out a pair of Nokia phones, some people then decided, in the tradition of the classic MLQ Plurkfiesta tradition, to head on to President’s (Oooohhh…) in Manila Bay, and have a celebratory dinner. After being likened to Colonel Sanders, Bro. Mike, and German Moreno, somebody pointed out that I’m wearing either a mafia getup when I don’t have the coat, or I’m actually auditioning for Saturday Night Fever. Much fun to be had for everyone, neh? :P

Thanks for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing, amazing event! Here’s hoping for an even bigger and better Philippine Blog Awards 2009!

In the meantime…

Walaaaaaaaaannnngggg Tulugan!

Posting Tomorrow...

I am such a lazy lout, and I'm only half-done with my PBA 2008 Megapost. Oh, well. All the better this way, I guess...

It's On!

.:Blog Awards. Tomorrow. Get Ready.:.

Tomorrow, from 5:30 PM onwards at One Esplanade in the Mall Of Asia area, it's going to be the Philippine Blog Awards!

Yours truly will be hosting the festivities, along with Tiffy, and other co-hosts are AJ and Kring. Be there or be square!

Aside from the awardees in 36 different categories, you can also expect some special guests, and even a performance from Kel and Jay, magicians and mentalists extraordinaire, for the after-party!