Why the AnitoKid Blogs

My friend over at Betshop Boy tagged me on this meme, "5 Reasons Why I Blog." I feel I owe my friend an apology for taking too long to do my piece. It has been a busy and hectic month for me, but still, I always keep my promises. :) And without further ado, here are my reasons for blogging.

5 Reasons Why I Blog

1. My buddy from New York City introduced me to this wonderful art of blogging. It was supposed to be a spin on work - but in the end, I found in it a lot of fun. "We are at the forefront of a revolution - an information revolution!", he exclaimed. And I said to myself, "This is history in the making. A path towards immortality."
   
   
2. However, from November 20 to January of 2007, I was only able to do 3-4 posts only (and most of them were random pics of get-togethers with friends). In February 2007, my buddy and I had the chance to share ideas once again. Coincidence or not, this was the time the blogbug bit me. The art of blogging allowed me to pursue one of my passions in a different way - photography! Blogging allowed me to share to others (in pics) the fun that my friends and colleagues had - online! And as friends and colleagues expressed their desires to see more photos of ourselves and get-togethers, I realized that my site is attracting a steady number of loyal followers. Yeah, my colleagues and friends were my initial audience (Ang aking mga suki). I got hold of a "Recent Visitors" widget and took delight in seeing my counter go click with each visitor. Click, click, click, click! :) The widget had a number of features that allow me to see other types of stats, e.g., visitor location, OS type, and minutes logged-on. As a lover of numbers, I was intrigued. Such features made me realized that I can actually forecast the number of visitors in my site based on the number of posts that I do. And why stop there, i said to myself. I can actually try and attract other bloggers to come to my site with interesting posts and content! And as they say, "They came. They read. They commented."
   
   
3. My discovery of blog communities, i.e., MyBlogLog, My Blog Catalog, and Spicy Page, further fueled my appetite for blogging. For the first time, I was able to see a visual pic (almost in real-time) of my visitors! They were just awesome widgets to have! It gave me a sense of visual feel that someone, somewhere, another human being is reading my posts - and finding great delight in them! It was at this point in time that I discovered the importance of responding to comments. Most of the sites I read in my first 2-3 months as a blogger had "one-way" comment sections, i.e., dozens of comments from readers, yet not a single one from the blog owner. This puzzled me. I asked myself, "Could this be the norm of established bloggers? Not to respond to comments made by their readers?" "Nah! They could just be busy and all", I gamely answered back myself. Then came a comment that I still hold dear - a comment from my friend over at DoshDosh thanking me for joining his Technorati Link Exchange project. It was a feeling of unforgettable rush! The great DoshDosh actually took time out to comment! Wow! Indeed, it was such a rush! A rush that further inspired me to blog, blog, blog, and blog away!
   
   
4. Then came the Blog of the Day Award on a Super Saturday! This really got me going! I mean, it's not everyday one wins an award! It's my first award for blogging. And it will always be one of the sweetest. The award also seemed to have good luck written all over it! My site has been blessed to receive other honors, awards, and nominations, including one that I am very proud of, i.e., The Seeking Alpha Gold Badge.
   
   
5. I love sharing my ideas. My views. My thoughts. I also love hearing others speak their minds out. Simply put, I love people. I love being with them. And this blogging art has become a venue for me to do such - and more. I have been very fortunate to have realized so many firsts and milestones in my newest passion. The most notable and most important of which is the fact that I have made new acquaintances - most of whom have become my friends in real life. And this is the major reason why I blog, i.e., to communicate ideas and develop friendships.
   
   

   Indeed, blogging is an art.
   It continuously enriches my life
   with newfound knowledge, music,
   laughter, and friendship.
   And in the end, it may also serve
   as an avenue for my immortality.
   
   And I kid you not!
   
   

I now tagged the following friends to continue this meme. :)

• A Simple Life
• CultureShiok
  
• ManilaMom
• Mayenskie
• My Extra Dirty Mind