by ANNALYN S. JUSAY (now blogging at www.annalyn.net)
You will never find her writing about politics and all those heavy stuff but there is something in Toni Tiu's blog that readers from all walks of life can relate to. Maybe it's the fact that she writes casually and shares from the heart - whether it be her latest cooking adventure, new products in the market she's tried, career tips, the places she went to and her positive take on the nature of human relationships. Pretty and petite Toni works in the fast-paced world of advertising and she considers blogging a form of therapy for her, not to mention the fact that she really loves to write. Aside from these, she enjoys "writing poetry, reading magazines and books (mostly cookbooks lately), having a cup of hot chocolate with my friends and going on dates with my husband." Get to know more about the person behind "Wifely Steps" (found at http://toni.marikit.net) in the following interview:
Q. When did you start to blog and how did you get into it?
A. I started blogging in late 2001. I had been hearing about online journals and was intrigued! See, I've always loved writing. When a friend found out how much I enjoyed writing and sharing my thoughts with friends, he told me about Livejournal. I was hooked on my first visit to that site. Since then I've had about a dozen blogs, most of them defunct by now. They were hosted by Blogspot, Diaryland and Livejournal. Now, I maintain just three blogs. Aside from "Wifely Steps," I have my poetry blog and another one in LiveJOurnal called "Streams of Solace" which is locked and secret.Only me can access it.
Q. What's the best thing blogging has brought you since you started? What do you like best about this craft?
A. The best thing about blogging is that I'm able to help others through my own experiences. In "Wifely Steps," I hardly post tips and recipes that I haven't tried on my own. I don't like passing off bits of advice if I haven't gone through a situation that required that specific tip. For example, I would never give advice on how to press clothes since I don't know how to iron! But I'd definitely write about preparing Sinigang na Baboy because I've experienced cooking that dish and I can share tips on how to make it more delicious. Experience is the best teacher, right?
Q. Please tell us about your experience shifting from Blogger to Wordpress.
A. Tin, the host of our Marikit community, guided me from Day 1. She helped migrate my old entries, clean up my template… she takes really good care of her community members. That's why the shift has been pretty easy for me. I'm also finding Wordpress to be much more organized than Blogger – perfect for the O.C. in me! I also like the categories, the cleaner layout and the choice of templates.
Q. What do you think are the qualities of a good blogger?
A. I think it would depend on what kind of blogger you are! If you're the type who blogs about current events and shares your opinions, it would be good if you craft your thoughts in a way that is frank and not offensive to others. Then again it's a free world right? So personally, I prefer blogs about everyday lives. I like blogs that are written with sincerity and honesty. Are those qualities measurable? No. That's why I sift through blogs via gut feel. And oh, good grammar always helps.
Q. Do you have a favorite/memorable post?
A. I don't have any favorites, but one of the memorable posts I've had was that of my Grandfather's passing away. I posted the eulogy that I wrote for his service. That entry wasn't about advice or tips but just a piece on my emotions at that time. It was a turbulent time for me but the support from my blogging friends was amazing. That's when I knew how special my blogging friends were and how close-knit our community was becoming.
Q. Blogging plans, blogging dreams - if any.
A. Can I make money through blogging? Haha!
Q. Can you share some interesting bits about your blogging habits?
A. I write only when I feel like it. I only post recipes and recommend products I've tried myself. If I'm nowhere near a computer and an idea worth blogging about pops in my head, I write it in my notebook. Sometimes I don't blog at all and I'm just happy surfing through other people's blogs.
Q. What are the sites you often visit?
A. I visit the food blogs and personal blogs on my links list every week! The list is too long to mention here. Some of the websites I enjoy visiting are: Oprah ( http://www.oprah.com), for the articles on mind and body, and Country Living (http://www.countryliving.com), for home ideas I dream about.
Q. If your blog was an advertisement, what would be its punchline?
A. This is what I wrote as my site description and I think it captures the nature of my blog: "While married life is like a never-ending slumber party (that's a good thing!), there are recipes to learn & a home to clean! I'm living the wife life one step at a time and loving every minute of it!"
(For comments and inquiries, pls. email annalyn.jusay@gmail.com)
