Masters Teaching Basics

What is a blog and consequently, what is blogging then? Ask a neophyte like me and I’d answer you, “it’s an online diary” because that’s what Google gives me when I asked about its meaning.  It’s an online diary where most people  use as a form of a freedom wall, some makes it a means of sharing their knowledge to the world, and some with a touch of business makes a living out of it. CDOBloggers, Inc., a non-profit organization composed of bloggers and social media practitioners in Cagayan de Oro and Northern Mindanao recently conducted CDOBloggers Basic Blogging & Social Media Promotions last 23^rd of March 2013 held at Mbox Internet Cafe, Pabayo-Cruz Taal Street, Cagayan de Oro City. Discussed topics were: brief history of CDOBloggers, the fundamentals of blogging, and familiarity to social media sites. It was an enlightening symposium for both organizers and participants as both parties benefited from an interactive milieu. I, in fact, had my own unforgettable experience starting from a late arrival, to being caught by the camera peeping at someone else’s station, and to have a privilege of a 1-on-1 tutorial from Kuya Dingdans.

It was my Father’s birthday, Ermat’s on an official trip, and big brother is at work; being physically and mentally present on discussions is worth the gamble. Not just I learned about blogging, I also had experience a rare chance to meet and greet people who are now working for years as dedicated bloggers. When passion’s at stake, I can’t help but be obsessed with it and blogging has been giving me ecstasy as of late.

 To be a blogger was never in my ‘to reach lists’ but to be a basketball writer, columnist, pressure group spearhead, and an admirer of life, in one, is. 

Basketball was, is and will be my first love. Fallen in-love with the sport since five, Mike Breen, David Aldridge, TJ Manotoc, and Jinno Ruffino were famous personalities I grew up dreaming of becoming like them someday. Blogging, recently, offered me a fighting chance to grab and hold on to that aspiration.

Funny as it sounds but it took me an eon to choose a path to embark but as soon as I embraced it I’ve been attached to every bit of it. Got into politics in the early age of 15, it made me decide to embrace the life of a political animal. The weblog offers me freedom of speech wherein I could voice out my political opinion and participate in nation building. Being a no-nonsense political netizen is something I should be proud of and at the same time enjoying a constitutional right to a democratic state.

ART 3, Sec 4 of the 1987 constitution of the republic of the Philippines provides

“No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”

Unemployment line and credit card declined – the status quo of my barren existence – has got to end in a civilized way, the way educational institutions are mandated to eradicate such – the use of intellect.  This mantra, however, imposes a caveat that I just learned from the sound CDO bloggers president himself, Vic Marion Madriaga. Blogging as told by Sir Vic is not merely about the monetary feature it provides but on the distinct attribute it possesses for someone to be a difference maker in this life. I don’t call it coincidence when my passions are clearly aligned to blogging.  I don’t call coincidence neither when my favourite pastime is reading books, writing poems, reading newspapers and sports articles, and watching historical events. When the usual mode of sharing my ideas is only through small clique of friends; blogging offered me a chance to share it to the world, could make money out of it, and giving pride to my nation. While freezed on slumber away from the world of work, blogging could serve as a hobby, a career, or simply both. One blogger I met promotes tourism, one writes about health tips, one writes pertaining to fashion, and I would love to make a trademark of my own. Isn't it great to watch all NBA games you want, make a video analysis or a game breakdown then write a blog about it and share it to those hoop junkies while earning? Or, scrutinize candidates this fast approaching election to help others decide who should be voted and who shouldn't, still, while earning? Love for sports, love for country, love for passion, and a decent living.

“The master of art of living makes a little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and religion. He simply shows his passion of excellence in whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him, he is always doing both” – Lao Tzu. 

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank the CDOBloggers team for giving a valuable assistance to an inquisitive, sometimes misinterpreted as nosy, kid like me. Haha.

From the moment you accepted me as a part of your team and to the latest activity I attended with you, you guys were like a family to me. This started when fellow Taeyang stalker, ate Venus, tagged me on facebook and it ended with ate Jen Jaqs was making fun of me in twitter. She’s so mean. LOL! 

I made a collage on the valuables I received from Saturday’s event and I thank the sponsors who help made this event successful. I totally enjoyed the giveaways and more so to the food but, what I would cherish forever is the food for thought I brought home that the CDObloggers family shared to me.