By Annalyn S. Jusay (now blogging at www.annalyn.net)
Being an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) can be a lonely and terrible one. Unknown to many, blogging has become the ultimate refuge of these unsung heroes, a form of therapy where they connect, and share their experiences, with an online audience, notably Filipinos back home and those scattered in other parts of the world. One such outstanding Filipino is Christine Gonzales who is based with her husband in the modern island-state of Singapore as an IT software consultant. Being a happy homemaker and busy career person, she has found her nirvana in blogging where she documents her life – from office tales to travels to delicious food trips. As a photo buff, her posts come complete with exciting pictures taken from her Canon ‘Digital Rebel’ SLR camera, Sony Cybershot and her ever-reliable Sony Ericsson P900. Christine has further expanded her mission by hosting other bloggers in her extra web space. Get to know about this wonderful woman in the following interview:
Q. How did you start to blog? How many blogs do you maintain?
A. It was after browsing Batjay's Kwentong Tambay site that I've decided to have my own online journal in 2004. Right now I have two sites, a personal blog (www.marikit.net/christine) and a photoblog (www.marikit.net/photojourn). The latter is inspired by another friend, Junnie who owns Memento.
I started with Bravenet in 2004, which has very limited features but enough for starters like me back then. Then I moved to Blogger after a few weeks and eventually migrated to WordPress in 2005.
Q. How were you able to learn about web page development and all that stuff?
A. I was so keen in playing with blog templates that I started to download the ones I fancy and modified the html codes. Then I was referred to helpful sites like w3schools.com and until now I use it as reference.
Q. Which do you think is more important: design or content?
A. Both design and content are important. Reading a nicely written entry on a site that is pleasing to the eyes – no sharp colors, less blinkies and buttons – is already a treat to the reader.
Q. Why did you decide to share your web space and what are your plans for the Marikit community? Do you plan to expand further?
A. When I came to notice blogsites on Wordpress, I became intrigued and later on decided to have my own. Thanks to Ploghost, I’m able to get a good deal. From there, I started ‘adopting’ bloggers that I know will enjoy WordPress, too.
I hope our Marikit sisterhood will grow bigger and stronger.
Q. What do you think are the qualities of a good blogger?
A. Thinking of the bloggers I admire, a good blogger is able to communicate his/her thoughts in the simplest and sincerest way (not using jargons that seem to be copied out of thesaurus), leaving an impact to the readers. A good blogger is able to convey generally positive emotions to the readers. I believe that we imbibe what we hear or read.
Q. What is the best thing that blogging has brought you since you started? How has blogging contributed to your personal development?
A. The best thing that I gained from blogging is the friendships, then next would be learning from other blogger's experiences and being able to share a piece of my mind to others as well.
Since I moved to Singapore, it became more difficult to keep ties with friends back home. Blogging has paved the way for me to have online friends and to touch-base with old friends.
Through blogging, I've become more aware of what's happening around me. I note down or capture on my camera the things that I feel is worth sharing to others who visit my site. I also have more reasons to stay at home on my free time!
Q. Do you think a blogger should maintain some sort of privacy in his/her blog? What do you think of people who "tell all" in their blogs?
A. The blogger should be aware that whatever he/she publishes on the net can be read, criticized and commented on by any John or Jane Doe. If the blogger is ready for all these, then there's no internet law that prohibits publishing blogs of a very private nature.
Q. Do you abide by a certain blogging philosophy?
A. One of my guiding principles in blogging is "to live and let live". If I come across an entry that I could not relate to, I just skip the site. Blog-hopping should give us enjoyment; hence we should avoid sites that will give us even a spite of irritation.
Q. What are your online/blogging habits?
A. Whether on weekends or even at work, I start off by checking on my hostees’ sites (http://marikit.net). I make sure that their sites are up, no spammers or the likes. From there I move on to my favorite blogsites.
If I’m at work and a blog-worthy thought suddenly hits me, I note it down. No matter how mundane the subject is, if I feel strongly about it, I publish it.
Q. What are your future plans for your blogs?
A. For my personal blog, I hope I’d be able to develop a writing style that’s my own. Free from sentence construction and grammatical errors. I’m still big in that, I know. For my photoblog, I hope to capture more Singapore street photos. That means I need to go out more! I lack the discipline in this area.
Q. Do you think blogging is here to stay?
A. With hundreds upon hundreds of people, from all races and ages signing-up for free blog hosting, I think blogging is here to stay.
(For comments and inquiries, email annalyn.jusay@gmail.com)
