An Interview by Migs Paraz

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Here are 5 interview questions from Migs Paraz which is actually a tagged post.

1. There is a lot to learn from people in their 40’s and above. How do we get them to blog?

I definitely agree that there is a lot to learn from the 40’s and above. The best way to get them to blog is to expose them to bloggers in our age group. I always thought that blogging was for the 30 and below age group until I came across Connie’s blog. I have been told by 40 something bloggers that they got inspired to start a blog because they came across my blog ( ahem, Annamanila). This question gives me an idea. Maybe I should categorize my blogroll by age group to inspire more people?

2. What opportunities did winning the Philippine Web Awards and the Philippine Blog Awards bring you? (Oh and being one of the Top Pinoy Probloggers as well.)

Winning the award brought hits and gave me more visitors. It widened the scope of my readership and advocacy. Then, I get invited to PR events or help out with blog activities. Most importantly, I am loving the fact that my circle of friends widened in all age groups. As a problogger, the opportunity to socialize and venture out new things in the blogosphere and even in new media enable me to produce more content for my blog. More content produced enhance my earnings especially in Google Adsense and Text Link Ads.

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Mommy Lunch Meetup

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moms
The Pinoy Moms Network’ Mommy Lunch at Swiss Deli and Bistro finally happened.

Photo Above

Below (Left to right): Jane and Salen

Standing (Left to right): Rachel , Lynn, Me, Connie, Dine, Feng, Cess, Julie, and Lisaflor

Standing behind the group: Chato

Kudos to Rachel for coming all the way from Batangas. So sorry Sheila Marie (based in Africa) but I totally forgot that I had Skype running in my macbook.

So what did 12 moms exactly do ?

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Are You Crazy?

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We are all crazy in our little funky way. Let’s see…

Maybe that verbally abusive customer spewing cuss words has some sort of bipolar disorder.

Concerned over a friend who can’t seem to keep a relationship? Shrinks say it’s some kind of borderline personality disorder.

What about that stark, raving mad driver that overtook your vehicle the other gave and gave you a dirty finger? Ooh road rage! And what do you know? It’s called “Road Rage Disorder” or intermittent explosive disorder.

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Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs

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Here is my list of 10 blogs that are making an impact to its readers in 2007. These are blogs that started anytime from August 1, 2006 to the present and are gradually gaining a considerable amount of readership and influence. Thanks to Janette Toral for pioneering this writing project.

Let me just tell you that my criteria is based on blogs with an advocacy and /or my relationship with these bloggers. In no particular order, here they are (drum rolls)

1. Pinoy Moms Network– Okay I am biased . This is a network that Connie and I founded together sometime February 2006. The advocacy is obvious. It is us, mothers, who determine what the future generations will be. The saying that ““the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world” has never been more true. Moms who have joined our network is reaching the 100 mark.

2. Grief is a Journey is Cathy ‘s advocacy on grief education and recovery particularly GriefShare. Griefshare is a special seminar and support group for people grieving the loss of someone close. Together with her husband, Cathy launched Grief Share at the Greenhills Christian Fellowship in Ortigas sometime last year and seminars are held every saturday. This blog started on October 2006. What a blessing to to those in pain. If GriefShare started in the year 2000, I would have joined it .

3. Pia. Everyone knows her as Senator Pia Cayetano . She is Pia , a family friend, and Tita Pia to my kids. In her blog, she encourages women (men and kids) to start and maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle. Running and walking are one of the easiest exercises. All you need is a good pair of shoes, a place to run or walk and ideally a fitness partner to keep you company or keep you motivated, so her blog touts. No wonder she calls it mydailyrace.blogspot.com which she started on March 27, 2007. But we struggle on, putting one foot in front of the other.

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Mother Bloggers Featured at Philippine Daily Inquirer

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mother bloggers

As a way of sharing the benefits of blogging to the world, Cathy wrote an article on Mother Bloggers on page C1 of the Sunday Lifestyle Section, Philippine Daily Inquirer. Mommies featured aside from Cathy and myself are from Pinoy Moms Network: special education teacher Julie Custodio-Fuertes, Golden girl, AnnaManila and single mothers Lisaflor Bacani and Ma. Luisa Pages. Of course, Connie Veneracion , founder of Pinoy Moms Network was likewise featured.

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Mother-Daughter Relationship

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The latest local showbiz buzz happened on Mother’s day of all days! What struck me is Annabelle Rama’s message to her daughter, Ruffa Gutierrez regarding the split-up with her Turkish husband, Yilmaz Bektas. As a backgrounder,
annabelle rama

View Video of Annabelle Rama’s message to her daughter, Ruffa or

Read transcript of Annabelle Rama interview in GMA 7

““Napakahirap maging nanay. At saka ang anak ko, ang layo-layo sa akin palagi, nasa Istanbul. Biro mo, for one-year-and-a-half, hindi siya umuwi sa akin. Ngayon, nandito siya sa akin, haping-happy ako. Kaya Ruffa, ang desisyon mo, tuldukan mo na. Please lang, maawa ka sa akin. Kung gusto mo akong matigok, pumunta ka sa Maldives. Kung gusto mo pa akong mabuhay nang matagal, mag-stay ka sa akin.

My Tagalog is not too good but from what I understood from the above message is this It’s difficult being a mother. My daughter lives so far away all the time, in Istanbul. Imagine, for a year and a half, she didn’t go home to me. Now that she is here, I am happy. Ruffa, stand by your decision. Please, have pity on me. If you want me to die, go with him to Maldives. If you want me to live longer, stay with me.

They say “Mothers know best” and I believe Annabelle when she says that all she wants is the best for her daughter. The thing is her message reeks of manipulative control. It reminds me of myself a few years ago when I freaked out over my daughter’s boyfriend. I said the same cheesy dramatic lines when I told her to stop seeing her boyfriend. Guilt-tripping never works. You can’t blame me or Annabelle for using guilt-trip because our parents also used the same tactic to control children’s behavior.

Look at these two scenarios I had with my daughter:

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Philippine Elections 2007 at my Backyard

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voting pollIt seemed like a hundred people talking in deep hush tones almost sounding like busy bees. The persistent buzzing sounds woke me up at 6:00 AM. Thinking it was 7:00 AM , I wanted to catch sight of the first voters of Philippine Elections 2007 in my voting district (in Pasig City). Yeah right, the, voting center of the village is right across the side of my home. The barangay multi-purpose hall was converted to a voting center for the comfort of our neighbors. I placed a temporary fence around my newly landscaped garden knowing voters could use my side garden as a “tambayan” (waiting area). As I swept the garden, voters teased me that I should have placed a food stall for the hungry voters. Haha. I was more preoccupied on cars parking at my front yard. It seems some neighbors are not aware of property lines and insist on parking on my pebbled driveway when there is a whole street in front of them. Ugh.

While sweeping the yard, my husband called me inside. “Why are you suddenly sweeping?”

I had to laugh. I said “I can’t stand the garbage strewn across our house”. Butch must think I am so manic. As I continued on with my sweeping, I kept thinking why can’t people throw garbage in the right place? No discipline…blah Bored with the sweeping chore, I thought of checking my name in the list of registered voters.

Fat chance.

The dutiful Election poll watcher sifted through the pages and found a “Dado…” but the name belonged to my husband. Hmm . Why is his name listed and not mine? Then I remembered that the last time I voted was more than 10 years ago. They must have purged my name off the list. Every May elections, I am out of the country or out on a vacation. Oh well, my husband was really excited that he could vote. But first, we fetched Lauren from the airport, fresh from her vacation in Boracay.

At around 12 noon, I went along with him to take more photos of the voting center.

Policemen are by the entrance of the voting entrance.

Oh my, the poll watchers are getting sleepy.

Looking for one’s name is crazy. They list the names alphabetically by street address. How crazy is that?

What a lovely view from the second floor?

A narrow aisle greets the voters .

Butch verified that indeed his name is among the registered voters.

He then gets his ballot.

I checked out other precincts and took photos of the voters. I thought they had actual booths. It seems the booth is a piece of folder that can shield someone from peeping .

Poll watchers from another precint.

My husband is ready to vote in his “booth”

I left my husband in his voting “booth” and decided to take more photos around the voting center.

The guy and girl in white shirt warned me that photo shooting is not allowed inside. Really? I was already taking shots all over the place and no one stopped me.

A tired voter, watcher or kibitzer?

I was almost tempted to take a “gulaman” drink but I remembered my house is just beside this center. haha

Tired of waiting for my husband at the poll center, I went home. Later he shows off the indelible ink placed on his fingernails.

And a thumbmark as proof that he voted.

It’s 3:12 PM and the voting center is still full of people

Lots of people are just waiting outside the polling place. Perhaps waiting for the canvassing to start. I’ll go out and watch .

It’s now 3:45 PM and the tallying will start shortly.

at 4:00 PM, ballot boxes are still waiting to be opened.

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) are also watching the election returns.

Poll watchers of different organizations and candidates are just waiting.

The vote tallying started alright. It’s around 6:30 PM and our incumbent Mayor Eusebio is leading so far.

Went back at 7:15 to check on the national election results. Click on the thumbnail.

Looks like Joker Arroyo, Ed Angara, Noynoy Aquino, Chiz Escudero, Kiko Pangilinan, Loren Legarda, Panfilo Lacson, Alan Cayetano, Manuel Villar are leading in this Pasig City precint.

watch for more photos and updates. Might watch the canvassing of election returns..
View the rest of my Philippine Elections 2007 photos