Goals and objectives for 2015

Thus ended 2014.

Now that 2015 has started, there will always be the mandatory planning and goal-setting for the New Year. Don’t ask, it’s a blogging thing.

Actually, it’s not. I just want to sound clever.

Anyway, this is just a full-blown blog post of what I already posted in my Facebook page before 2014 ended.

Goals and objectives for 2015

1. Continue the positivity

I have always been a pessimist, a realist-pessimist to be more accurate.  But well-meaning friends often tell me to “loosen up” and “BE POSITIVE,” which I did especially in the last few days of 2014. I hope to continue and prolong that positivity this 2015 as much as I can.

2. Read more

I used to read a lot when I was younger. I read almost everything. I was buying books at a time when I cannot still afford to buy books. There was no particular subject or book genre for me. I would buy anything that would catch my interest then. Be it a sci-fi, self-improvement, crafts, computer, or even paranormal – anything! And I would definitely read them.

I used to be a blogger.

I used to be a blogger.

Yes, I was. And I must say that I wasn’t just a blogger, but I was an active blogger. I blogged in the morning, I blogged in the afternoon, I blogged in the evening. Heck! I used to even dream about blogging!

It was fun, addicting and therapeutic. Being in my own little corner in the blogosphere, pouring my soul out through my blog, unmindful of the fact that no one was reading my posts.

Then I met other bloggers online. I began to have readers and I started reading other blogs. I began interacting online, made some friends and my own little corner on the web got wider. It made blogging more interesting.

I also learned that I am not confined to my own personal experiences in blogging. I can also share my thoughts and views on what’s happening around me – in sports, politics, entertainment, business, and anything I can share my two-cent’ worth of opinion. Blogging could be my voice!

So I did! Delved into politics when I used to be apolitical. Shared my thoughts on movies and personalities when I am really not much into the entertainment industry. Talked about boxing when I do not even follow the sport.

And this is what made me more excited about blogging – that I can earn money through my blogs! Goody! Doing something I really love and earning money on the side. What could be better than that?!

But it wasn’t easy. I began hearing about search engine optimization (SEO), online advertisement, online affiliate marketing, online writing opportunities, and other online money-making buzz!

Then I heard about blogging events and bloggers’ meet-ups and I said to myself, “Hey! I’m a blogger, I should be there!”

So I started attending blogging events and bloggers’ meet-ups. Met bloggers in the real world and heard some inspiring, motivational, as well as some horrific blogging experiences. It was kind of weird at first though… it felt like I was listening to the blogs talking.

Getting my voice heard on current issues… income opportunities… inspiring bloggers… what could go wrong?!

Fast forward… I now consider myself lucky if I could get at least a blog post every six months.

What happened? Honestly, I don’t know. I just lost my blogging zest.

Never got to see those floating moolahs online, never got to understand SEO, never got any decent writing opportunity and got too tired on sinking my teeth on issues I don’t even want to take a bite into.

And bloggers? Just like any real people – some are good, some are bad, some are real, some are nice, some are mean, and some are everything in between.

At the end of the day, blogging was no longer fun.

I had much fun… freedom, when blogging for me was just sitting there in my own little corner and writing just about anything that might only make sense to me… when blogging was as natural as breathing and there were no keywords to consider and no target audience to think about, but just letting your soul breathe.

Blogging was fun when a blogger was not defined – SE0, events, product launchings, influencers, marketers, public relations, money-makers, reviewers, fact (which were often just opinions) presenters, and the like. I am not saying that those are bad, but they just don’t fit me.

I miss my old blogging self… believe me, I used to be a blogger.

(And if you noticed that I seem to cut my post and omitted some points, it only shows how bad I am a blogger right now)

One blog post at a time

It’s been a while and I really don’t know if this time it would be for real. I’m talking about my blogging mojo.

I cannot count the times that I’ve been in and out of blogging lately. This time, I am no longer sure if I am really getting back to blogging or it’s just another itch that I needed to scratch. Maybe in the next few days, you might see me spewing blog posts left and right until such time I lose my steam again. Or maybe even after this post, I might just get lax in my blogging until I bump my head for the nth time. I really don't know.

They put an age limit to creativity

I am most tempted to call myself a frustrated songwriter, but following the principle of “There’s no such thing as a frustrated writer!” I can’t really call myself that. Because I am not... based on that premise, at least.

Still, I am frustrated.

Frustrated that somebody put an age limit to creativity... an age limit to expression... an age limit to art. No wonder I can’t make it. I am overage!

And here I thought discrimination against age in our country only happens in companies during their employee application processing.

I am referring to the Elements Singing-Songwriting Camp which holds an annual week-long in-house songwriting camp for aspiring songwriters and attended by the country’s top musicians and songwriters where they share tips and encourage composers-wannabes.

The FAQ page is VERY SPECIFIC – YOU MUST BE BETWEEN 18-35 at the time of application.

"There is no such thing as a frustrated writer!"

This post is about the first time I became a guest speaker at a writing event in SM City Clark on August 27, 2011

It was far from perfect, I know. But my first talk just went fine, nonetheless.

I goofed up on a few lines, but I do hope I was able to inspire young people to write. It was my first, though I offer no excuses.

It was a golden opportunity to make a difference… I just hope I did.

Just in case you’re wondering what I’m talking about, it’s the announcement of the winners of the inter-high school short story writing contest here in Angeles City, and I was the guest speaker.

And below, is the full excerpt of my speech, just in case some of the attendees found my voice inaudible or were just too anxious for the results to be revealed, or both… and all who wants to know what I said.

Giving up on The Struggling Blogger

It was inevitable. As much as I like to keep the dot com URL for this blog, I finally decided not to.

I finally gave up. 

As I mentioned in a previous post, the on-and-off loading of my blog makes me want to give up. Now, I did. I had to contend myself with the .blogspot extension just so I can be sure that it would load every time I share a link.

It was either that or I would finally give up The Struggling Blogger totally.

I waited for propagation... nay! Too long, more than two months actually. Still, the problem persists.

So I guess, with this decision it would be smooth sailing from here. Of course, unless Blogger itself would have a problem... which I pray would not happen.

As I’ve said, I had time. From now, it’s back to basic blogging for me.

Thank you very much.

Subscribe to me, maybe?

In this post, I will make a pitch. I will make an appeal. I will ask you... I’m sorry, I mean I am requesting that you subscribe to my blog.

Really, it will mean a lot for this once-again-newbie blogger.

For your convenience, here is the subscription form:

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Thank you very much. You’re very kind.

“What’s in it for me?!”

Why I (almost) wanted to give up blogging

Blogging has been my life. It has been my way of expression... my outlet. It has kept me company since I was left on my own.  I love blogging, to say the least. Friends who really knew me know what blogging means to me.

But I wanted to stop. Not just rest, but stop totally... and permanently.

Somehow, I lost my blogging zest. I am even having a hard time just starting this post.

When I started blogging back in 2008, it was like I finally found what I wanted to do in my life... and that is to write. Finally I was doing something that I was really enjoying.

Lately, however, it’s not fun anymore. It was frustrating, really.

First, I lost my free-hosting. Fine, you cannot have your free ride forever, but the feeling of being dropped off abruptly, without any warning and even without any explanation why, makes me feel that I do not deserve to be respected enough to be given courtesy.