Everyone’s Doing It, So I Might as Well…
woobie on January 1st, 2008
My Birth Year as a Blogger is 2007. This is the year that I was able to maintain a blog for more than a month, and have been able to create and modify templates and codes… on my own.
Let me take you back to the time when I first felt envy of my friends Jetlogs, Waukeen and Anitokid, who were blogging on a daily basis for a long time before I even discovered what a ‘blog’ or weblog is. I then set out to buy a domain and a hosting package. I decided to avail of website services from a local service provider, with the mistaken notion that by being able to call them as often as I like, setting up my blog will be a lot easier. I did say ‘mistaken’, didn’t I?
Me: Hello. My wordpress blog looks funny, I think I f*cked up somewhere in the php templates. Can you help me?
CSR: We don’t provide support for website development, we are sorry. Is there anything else?
I don’t remember which combinations of google search words I used, but I finally landed on the savior of all newbie bloggers, the Asian master of Wordpress design, the designer that provides premium-quality wordpress themes for FREE… Small Potato. And that’s when I really got addicted to themes and templates and ul’s and li’s and div’s. My current site isn’t perfect at all, but thanks to the RSS feeds from SP, I’m getting better.
One highlight of my sojourn in the blogosphere is my discovery of Jessica Zafra’s blog. The author of the ‘Twisted’ books that I worshiped in my teens, and inevitably influenced my current writing style. I blogged about it here as soon as I found it, and have been going back to her blog as often as I can. One secret: Although I joined her blog as a subscriber and have the ability to comment, I don’t, because I am too starstruck. Another secret: Whenever I post something and read the post over, I always ask myself.. “What would Jessica think?”. Fanatical bullsh*t, you say? Go visit her site, JessicaRulesTheUniverse, and find out why I idolize her so much. *winks*
And then I joined Entrecard. In retrospect, maybe this is the “ramp” (see John Chow’s definition of The Ramp) that made my blog at the very least visible to people other than my close friends from Ragnarok Online. Through this social networking site I met:
Antibarbie - who scares me a bit (ok, a lot), but compels me to come back over and over to read her newest stories.
Sam - the controversial marketer whose ascerbic wit and brutally unconventional opinions held me in a spellbound trance for a long time and shocked me to the core (despite my pretense at unshakeability… which he also saw through).
Saphrym - my new paragon of self-discipline when it comes to dieting, blog events and writing.
Manly Policeman - who can make light of things, despite the seriousness of his job.
Gorilla Sushi’s Mr. Jason - who shares my generation’s love for alternative music, and has a thing for funny photo captions.
Buraot - who can dish out romantic posts, strongly-principled human rights activist views, and irreverent humor.. all at the same time.
… and the many others who made the start of my blogging life very memorable in 2007. Thank you.
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Thanks for the mention. Nice history of your blog there. You’ve made me subscribe to yet more blogs. Argh. ;)
Mike White’s last blog post..Blood Sugar Scare
There are a lot of gifted people, yeah? The goal is to inspire each other, I think. :D
Hey now, I’m not that scary… Yeah I dress in black, have a thing for tattoos, like to write stories about deranged people on killing sprees and have been known to make grown men weep like little kids upon occasion but who doesn’t?!
Have a fabulous 2008 Woobie!
AntiBarbie’s last blog post..My Daughter, Buckethead.
@Antibarbie
Same to you, AB! Thanks for dropping by!
happy new year! my blogbirth is also 2007! and still i am learning html.hehe. I love jessica safra,too! witty!
ei, i tagged you for my 8 meme. not required though, only if u want to do it.
Happy blogging new year!
maline’s last blog post..8 MEME - 8 for which I am Thankful
Here’s looking forward to a great year for you in 2008! I have a feeling you’ll make your mark this year, my friend! Loved your blog! And I kid you not!
AnitoKid’s last blog post..Links for 2007-12-19 [del.icio.us]
Hey, who needs a small potato if you got a Turnip? Just stopping by to say Hi. I also started blogging this year, October 17th to be exact. I did have a blog 10 years ago before they were called blogs, but anything pre-wordpress doesn’t count, I guess.
@maline
hello, thanks for tagging me and for dropping by, i’ll try to do the meme asap ok?
@turnip
haha. is that a fad among web developers? the use of vegetable names as pseudonyms, I mean. :D
how do i love thee? i can’t count the ways. happy new year to you and your little one. of course the little big one too!
BURAOT’s last blog post..Kadre Kadire
@Buraot
Thank you, Paps! Happy new year to you and your family. :D
Happy New Year :) I think your blog looks great as it is by the way and I would definitely be starstruck if I found the blog of a writer I idolized. Hope 2008 brings you a lot of happiness, good health and success!
thanks, claire! Happy new year!
Interestng history. It’s a lot better than my current site. Anyway, you’ve gained a new reader ^^
sylv3rblade’s last blog post..What to do when your PC dies
@sylverblade
thanks! btw, to answer the title of your latest post “what to do when your pc dies?” … my answer is “cry”… XD
Hey Woobie, Happy New Year, you are totally awesome and I’m addicted to your blog. Thank you for the mention and Im looking forward to reading so much more from you.
PS
The blog layout looks awesome
@manly policeman (enforcer)
I want to share my enjoyment of your blog with my readers. Why be selfish, right? :D
oh. lol. I hate it when my PC dies. It makes me spend =(
sylv3rblade’s last blog post..What to do when your PC dies
wishing you blogging success this year ^^,
ronnie’s last blog post..Secrets to Entrepreneurial Success in 2008?
hi there! looks like we’re the same. 2007 is my blogger birth month too as i would consider it the first time in my life that i am able to maintain blog for more than a month. hehe. though i still havent made my own template as i am too busy with other stuffs . but i guess that would be one of my 2008 reolutions - to create my own template. i miss programming and coding in html/css and soon php. hehe.
kath’s last blog post..back to work @ 08 with McDonalds? McMoney
Happy New Year Woobie,
I didn’t know 2007 was your blog birth year like me. I thought you were older than that :) You know I was just thinking out loud to myself that the only way forward for me this year would be to learn some php and design my own themes when up pops your post and I realise I was in the right direction, definitely. Thanks for all your tips and kind words. Wishing us all a wonderful 2008.
hello felix. yeah this blog and the blogging initiative were born in 2007. be right over at your blog, good man.