I am probably the biggest loser at the David and Goliath Little Losers’ Blogger Party. Here are five reasons:

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I gathered data on children’s mortality rate in the Philippines for a proposal on a Children’s Memorial Day. The statistics are alarming.

32 out of every 1000 Filipino children die before their 5th birthday.

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Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Some blogosphere news… no gossip here.

The 2008 Philippine Blog Awards is still very much alive. The committee is moving the event to July 2008 because of two things: the first is because we’re still looking for an available venue that can accommodate a lot of people at a good price and second, because we’re waiting for the incorporation papers. The incorporation is crucial because receipts are needed for our sponsors. Also, a new set of officers will take place because of the incorporation. Hopefully, all the legal papers will be ready by end of April. *cross fingers*

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Listen/Download the Podcast of Butch Dalisay’s Talk

At a press conference for a food event, the Singapore-based president of this events company handed over his calling card to me. After introducing himself, he asked the food publication that I belonged to. I smiled and without hesitation, informed him I’m a blogger.

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Once again, it’s the first Monday of March Over at PinoyMomsNetwork, it is the day to publish FamPics. For March, the theme is LEARNING.

Dine is almost unrecognizable without her sleeveless tops but you know, we were invited to speak in front of local women leaders from different local government units nationwide such as mayors, vice-mayors, vice-governors, Board members etc. Business suit seemed like a suitable attire for this event and not our casual “blogger” wear during blogger or new media events. Dine and I laughed because Wikipilipinas.org staff barely recognized her.

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I am trying to recall the lies that my yaya (caregiver/babysitter) often told me while at the book launch of RJ Ledesma’s Lies My Yaya Should Have Told Me. The book Lies My Yaya Should Have Told Me is not actually a listing of lies told by RJ’s yaya but rather, RJ Ledesma’s Imaginary Guide to Whine and Women. I can’t help but reminisce over these lies as told by my yaya:

1. if you don’t behave, the mumu (ghost) will get you.
2. there, there, the ghost is there…behave now.
3. Don’t sleep with your hair wet, you will get blind.
4. That old woman across the street is buang (crazy), and she will kidnap you if you cry.
5. Close your eyes now…Sleep… or else the ghost will appear. sige…sige

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I finally met Christine Gambito aka Happy Slip. Not only that, I won a huge Happy Slip Teddy Bear at today’s Happy Slip’s Meet and Greet organized by Mag:net and Yehey.

If you missed the Happy Slip Meet and Greet today, there’s another event tomorrow, Friday, February 8. Read details over Happy Slip Fans Day. Remember that’s on February 8.

Happy Slip Fans’ Day
February 8, 2008, Friday
Mag:net Café, Bonifacio High Street
1:00PM – 4:00PM
Open to the Public

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Technorati Tags: Christine Gambito, Happy Slip

A dream about a late loved one is often a gift. “Don’t overanalyze it. Accept it with gratitude.” But what happens when a friend dreams about your blog entry? Here is a story which is one for the books.

I apologized to Cathy that I was unable to attend the Grief Share meeting last Saturday. Here are parts of our chat a few hours ago.

Cathy: okay lang. I read it in your blog.

Me: I haven’t blogged yet about boracay. Where did you read it? in my blog?

Cathy: yes. about my recovery

Me: No I haven’t blogged about it yet. The wi-fi was so slow in the hotel.

Feeling rather surprised, I checked my blog if I accidentally posted an entry. I knew that Abe blogged about it so maybe that’s where she found out.

Cathy insisted that she only reads my blog.

Cathy: I saw a photo of you in front of Microtel with Butch and Lauren.

Me:: Only Lauren went with me.

Then Cathy narrated all the photos she saw in the entry I never posted (until now):

Cathy: There’s a nice shot of palm trees at dusk. You have a photo with Abe.

I pointed Anton Diaz Boracay Escape with Pinoy Travel Bloggers and Ivan Henares Microtel Boracay in Diniwid Beach entries but Cathy did not read those entries either.

Me:: Maybe you accidentally saw my Boracay Photo Gallery?

Cathy: Ah No. It was a collage of photos. (Cathy takes a look at my gallery) There is that picture in the boat and I thought the man in stripes beside you was Butch

Me: How did you know then? I have not shown my photos yet to my readers because I have 500 photos to upload. Besides I cannot make a collage because my macbook does not have Photoshop.

Cathy: If you didn’t post, then how else did I see it? Psychic powers?

Me: then no other way unless you read the 12 other bloggers’ entry.

Cathy insisted again that she only reads my blog from the the list of Pinoy Travel bloggers I mentioned.

Cathy: You even wrote thanks to SeAir and Microtel and there was one other sponsor I cannot remember. And you added that you were glad that Lauren was able to join you on the trip.

The sponsorship and Lauren were the clincher. One can conjure dream images of the beach and my travelling companions. But the sponsors? There are a gazillion hotels in Boracay. And airlines? There are around 5 airlines that fly to Boracay. Also, how would she know that Lauren nearly didn’t make it to Boracay? Her dream is almost accurate.

How can one explain my blog entry that Cathy read but which I have not posted yet (or still drafting as I write this)?

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When it comes to local showbiz scenes and Who’s Who?, I am totally clueless. Local Filipino movies just don’t interest me at all…unless I get invited by a friend or I know the people involved in the production. There is the movie The White Lady which we watched only because the director was Butch’s classmate in Law School. Then the last movie I watched was I’ve Fallen For You directed by Lino Cayetano because he is a family friend. This afternoon was a bit different. Together with some bloggers, I attended a grand press conference for Batanes, a love story co-directed by Dave Hukon and internationally acclaimed young indie-director Adolf Alix Jr. Written by Arah Badayos, the film is a love story between a Filipina and a Taiwanese and circles around how the waters of Batanes test their love and individualities.

The film stars Ken Zhu of the Taiwanese boy band F-4 fame and Iza Calzado. At the press conference, I felt really out of place amidst the showbiz reporters. Haha, I was laughing at myself as I embarked on this latest adventure as it is so out of character. But wait, I attended the Press Conference as my way of helping promote Batanes Islands. The fastest route to Batanes is through Asian Spirit which is the only airline that flies to Batanes and other remote islands in the Philippines. Asian Spirit is also the major sponsor of Batanes which is really nice gesture on their part to support an indie film.

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Technorati Tags: Asian Spirit