Anonymous No More, Blogging Meets and the 2009 Emerging Influential Blogs
Imagine these things happening when you meet with online fellows face to face for the first time. “Ah, you look younger and slimmer in your avatar!”, one may say. Or you may have a preconceived picture of you blogging idol. “Does he really look like a rockstar?” And perhaps you try avoiding someone because you passionately wrote something against what he’d written in the past. Oops…
Yes, we’ve meet online. We’ve agreed, disagreed. Exchanged lols and ahs, and even greeted each other in our tweets. We may have smiled or red-faced in anger while reading a post. Because we’ve hid in anonymity, we can always say we’re just expressing our opinions in the guise of objectivity, even though conventional wisdom teaches us that it is just a matter or perspectives.
So, we need to meet at least once, when opportunity arise. It is always different if you move from being online friends to real friends. (Online friends can be real friends too. But the bond is as fragile as our internet connection) Hmmm… But are we sure we are what we are as what we’ve written in our blogs? You did not tell me your name, did you?
But because we’ve met outside the virtual realms and become friends, we learn to read with our hearts and not just by what our eyes have seen. Ok, so enough with the drama.
Three Saturdays ago was the EB of Ms. Janette Toral’s writing project, “The Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs of 2009”. In a blogging event, you don’t really have that much time to mingle. You have to listen to speakers and their presentations, and there are just too many people.
So, I suggested to Doc Z, Jan and Elmot that we meet hours before the event. There were nine of us who showed up at MOA: Jhongmed, Lyle(Filipino Web Programmer), Jan, Elmot, Roel (Money Maverick), Boni (Third World Geek), Doc Z, and Yatot. It was really exciting, meeting people for the first time, sharing stories, swapping cards, and listening to blogging experiences, both serious and funny. I had fun, really. It was also an honor to have with us, Jan, the venerable winner of the 2009 Emerging Influential Blogs, and Doc Z too at no. 4. It was the first meet-up of the jedibloggers minus Jena, Kelvin, Luke, Roy and 50+ others. And someone mentioned influenza bloggers. It was the influenza bloggers’ first meeting too.
Then after a few drinks (coke, coffee and san mig light for Lyle) we proceeded to main EB and had our pictures taken with the PAGCOR sign at the background. (hey guys, email me a pic of that, will you?) Ah, this post comes very very late. But anyway, it’s better late than never. My congratulations to the following winners:
- Jan Geronimo’s Writing to Exhale
- Patay Gutom Blog
- Roy The Struggling Blogger
- Zorlone the Filipino Poet
- Father Blogger
- Kelvinonian Ideas 2.0
- Tales from the Mom Side
- Adaphobic
- Lakwatsero
- Let’s Go Sago!
They were feted like rockstars you know. Anonymous no more, perhaps except for Trendydee (Tales from the Mom Side). Photographers wanted to take videos and pics of this year’s winners. See the pic below.
And surprises of surprises, there at the EB we met a blogger whom Boni and I knew for a long time. He used to be everywhere in the badminton forum we frequent. And we played badminton a lot of times already. He didn’t know we’re bloggers. We didn’t know he runs the popular blog, Blog de Manila and many others. And that night alone, he won $100 in the raffle draw plus two or three other raffle prizes. Lucky guy! I stole a shot of him with winners at the background.
Ok, so I blurred him a bit, as he wants to remain a mystery to his thousands of followers.
And there’s another guy I met for the first time, SEM expert Mr. Gary Viray. We’ve had a little gmail chat before. What’s SEM again? Hehe. SEM noob here. This guy almost won the Busby SEO Test challenge, and it’s an honor to have finally met him.
I also met the following awesome bloggers: Kelvin, Ada, Jehz, Snow, Tyrone, Annalyn, Earthlingorgeous, Rey Jr., Angel, Jeff (second time). From a short distance I saw Allen, Crisiboy and Sonnie.
Still, the EB wasn’t enough for Doc Z, Roel, Boni, Angel, Yatot, Lyle. We went to some place in Makati and sang our hearts out. What was that song again, Father Blogger? I could have sung my favorite Cliff Richards song if not for the billiards table. Next time, Yatot. Hehe!
Again, there was another meet-up at Lyle’s place days later with Boni, Roel and Elmot. Doc Z’s voice was with us. Thanks to Sun Cellular! We talked about SEO, blogging and world peace.
Just this Saturday night, we had had another of our mini-blogging meets, this time at Timog Ave wherein we were at a shouting distance of ABS-CBN. We discussed various topics that covered blogging, travel, poetry, medical stuff and pretty lasses (blame those cigarette promo girls). Next weekend, there will be another EB. And on September 19, the WordCamp.
With all these EB’s and blogging events, we can’t really remain anonymous and hide in our blogs forever. Joining meet-ups every now and then is a good thing.
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Related posts which you would also like to read:
- Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs of 2009
- Emerging Influential Blogs of 2008
- Blogging Meets: Drawing Inspiration from Fellow Bloggers
- The Blogs Of Our Lives
- How’s Your Blogging Lately?
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Ceblogger is a CPA trapped in his cubicle while his mind wanders outside watching the world, and exploring possibilities his mind conceived.
August 31st, 2009 at 6:56 am
lol. Seems like some Jedi still hides behind a cloak.
August 31st, 2009 at 7:22 am
Is 3 + 6 really required? Lols! Hi Bro, Ang laki ng mukha ko sa picture! It was a great meet! Though the few hours was not enough, I’ve learn a lot from you. It’s an honor meeting you guys. Long live the JediBloggers!
Jhong Medina
http://www.qlickcafe.com/blogs
August 31st, 2009 at 8:14 am
nice meeting you blogger from cebu!
thanks for the mention! yay!
August 31st, 2009 at 8:40 am
you’re presence was with us Master Luke. Invisible though. haha.
jhongmed, kitakits next time uli.
jehz, i’m a blogger from cebu to the world, via manila. galing mo, bai!
August 31st, 2009 at 11:19 am
And during that day there was not a trace of evidence you’re a CPA trapped in a cubicle somewhere in the metropolis. Before the meet up, I thought you were a cute blogger. Boy, was I in for a big surprise. But you prove to be larger than life in everything else. You’re fun company, and quite quick to the draw with one-liners, too.
It was a fun-filled day. Real scary at one point, but I survived it, didn’t I? I should – I was with good fellas. And with all indications pointing to future fun times and fruitful collaborations? It’s worth it, really worth it.
Three cheers to blog meet ups.
August 31st, 2009 at 11:42 am
“Anonymous No More”
I love the title!
and I love that short anecdote about you and eric, long-time badminton buddies and not knowing each one as a blogger hehe… talk about double-identity
August 31st, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Hey, Jhongmed, I got an easy one: 2+6! None of those big numbers, like 3, for me! (Better than squiggly little CAPTCHA codes, though, really. Assuming I got it right. We’ll find out when I click Submit Comment, won’t we?)
This looks like so much fun – I didn’t realize you had all the paparazzi there! Rockstars, indeed.
I don’t bother with anonymity. I’m me. I think sincerity and trust are important; I understand why some choose to remain anonymous, but others maintain their anonymity in order to (they think) escape responsibility for acting in ways they wouldn’t want their family, friends, and colleagues to see them. It’s unfortunate. I prefer hanging around with real people. And I wish I could have been there to congratulate our Influential (and Influenza) Bloggers in person.
August 31st, 2009 at 5:20 pm
jan, cute blogger ah! i should have used the pic when i was 20 and 50 lbs lighter. haha.
roy, boni and i were really surprised to see eric. same thing also happened last year. boni and roel were reunited because of a blogging eb i set up.
oh, holly! sorry about the captcha and the moderation thing. the next comment should no longer be a hassle to you, but still with the easy math. we wish you could also join us next time.
August 31st, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Haha! Ang galing. Wala ka nang maitatago – anonymous no more!
August 31st, 2009 at 11:52 pm
My first name is not really “anonymous”, a lot of people thought that I’m always hiding in an invisible cloak even though I’m not.
September 1st, 2009 at 1:05 am
sorry i didnt come last saturday… i was the only person in the house… and i heard you drank beer… hehehhe.. i dont drink beer by the way… so ok lng na hindi ako nakasama… hehehe… nice meeting you ceblogger! sa susunod ikaw na ang kakanta ng kinanta ni father blogger… hahahhah!
September 1st, 2009 at 3:11 am
I must say that I am sort of shy when it comes to such event. I am just a simple, low profile girl that felt uncomfortable in an elite world of bloggers, he he. Maybe that’s why blogging is another love for me, I can share my thoughts and feelings without having to dress up for somebody
September 1st, 2009 at 7:39 am
Ah! I thought you removed the math thing… Maybe a medical question next time, huh?
Yeah, we are anonymous no more. BTW, Roel has multiple personalities! Geez, I thought he goes by the name Mr. G of the Philippines? he he he.
Now this is a layout that I should try to copy… a few links here and there and some ads. Wow! I forgot what you taught me last night bro! I think when there are too many tabs to be filled out, I just press “x” and forget the task at hand. he he he.
It was really fun meeting a lot of you. To think that it started when? The iblog summit, right? All these cool people I met then and now are really awesome. Their blogs and their personalities in real life may seem different, but different is good.
Z
September 1st, 2009 at 10:20 am
Astig talaga ang blogging events…you meet the real people behind their blogs, and the real people behind some of the weirdest aliases, ahahhaha!
Mukang malabo ako sa Worcamp, bro…
September 10th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Tagal ng walang update Novz ha. Anyways, thanks for the mention for this post. And again, nice meeting you in the second bloggers event that I attended.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Tyrone, thanks for visiting. very busy lang lately.
elmot, sinong may weird alias? hehe.
Z, we’re no longer anonymous like we’re used to. nakakatuwa nga ito eh!
i should make some improvements on my comment sections. tagal-tagal ko mag reply.
September 10th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
madz, i’m shy too! and in attending these blogging events, i found out that the elite world of bloggers is a myth.
September 10th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
nah, we just ate dinner, yatot. ano ba yung kinanta ni father blogger?
September 10th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
dami kasing eric na sikat eh. at la ka pang pics sa site mo.
September 10th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
meron pa ring maitatago rey! hehe.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
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