iBlog5: Bloggers Are Mutants!

Bloggers are mutants.

Think about it: they wield various powers, they are given access to doors that are otherwise closed to your average everyday computer user, not everyone is aware of their presence, some go off to become socially-responsible voices of TRUTH + JUSTICE and sometimes, they band together for common causes — like attending iBlog and discussing the future of Pinoy blogger-kind.

My name is Paolo, and I’m a proud mutant.

In hindsight, attending the 11 PM showing of Star Trek the night before did not, in fact, do me any good for iBlog5 — I was late and I looked like a raccoon. (Mutant!)

As with any of the good stuff that has happened to my life up to now — I was late. While jotting down my registration details (178, hah!), the girl by the registration booth was telling me that I was just in time for the break.

I walked just in the middle(? Three-fourths?) of P0yt‘s and Fritz Tentativa’s talk on Photoblogging. And, (of course this would happen later on in the day, but I’ll choose to apply it now) I sorta learned that I write unbearably-long blog entries, so I’ll do the (seemingly) condensed version way:

Don’t be rude when taking photographs. (‘Cept when you’re doing ‘em sex-ay or risque candid shots, of which you keep in your personal collection — hah!) Ask for permission if you don’t feel right about taking someone’s picture. The rule of thirds. (Of which I still don’t know.) Pare down — not everything you shoot needs to be posted, most especially if it misses the subject. (Then what’s the point, really?) There’s no signal for Globe phones inside the venue. Azrael discusses the advantages of videoblogging — it brings that extra bit of personality from the blogger — in a way that normal text blog entries couldn’t. Not that each vlog has to be about the person, really — it can also be used as a tool for instantaneous on-the-spot citizen journalism, while things/event are going down. Kring discusses the more technical side of videoblogging — from equipment to techniques, of which she lovingly practices every day. Also, shadows are evil little bastards that rob you of your chance to show off your pretty little mug when shooting your vlog. (And by now you would’ve probably heard of the fabOUlous thing. :p) Ka Edong steps in to discuss the various available options for bloggers-on-the-go to post their thoughts right.this.second. via mobile blogging. ”The present moment is the field on which the game of life happens.” Benj Espina quite passionately discusses that ”Each blogger is a representative of the whole blogging community.” Juned Espino follows up with a discussion of the lack of the unwritten rule of bloggers — not to oversimplify, — always always always cite your sources, don’t take credit for something that isn’t from your mindbrain, ask permission when borrowing something, don’t take it if you aren’t given permission and do not be a prick among your fellow bloggers/man/persons. Coy and Winston Almendras demystify creating traffic for your blog: clever (and unique) branding, social bookmarks, creating massively-explosive brilliant viral-things, and getting nominated/winning blog awards. :) Lunch follows — Dengue Alert: Wear Your Pants. Also, hanging out by the trash from time to time isn’t too bad — saw Kring and P0yt as they were getting back from buying a pair of shoes. Do not smoke right outside the venue, as the guard points out. Several cigarette sticks (3 for me) and bottles of Cola (2) later, we were back in the venue. Atty. JJ Disini teaches everyone that intellectual property starts at the second your fingers hit the keyboard, and that legally, you can’t back into the corner of “I didn’t know I couldn’t do that.” Two bottles of cola will make you go to the bathroom, boxing talk when I got back — also, as Janette Toral points out — bloggers can become socially-responsible machines for reporting everyone’s civic duty of voting. May it (blogging, social networks) not be an advertisment tool to be abused by upcoming politicians, and may it become the source of TRUTH. Kring and P0yt can do the lolli-loli-loli-pop-pop! What follows are various speakers discussing the monetization of blogs, and of how it could potentially become a decent source of income. Former-boss Laz talks of Yehey’s position on the blog event circle — to become blog event organizers. SMO talk follows, which is, in a nutshell, leveraging social media platforms to get your message across — a.k.a. the thing I’ve been doing since last year up ’til the current job. Anton Diaz shares bits of his expertise, which, I think, is missing parts of what he discussed in the WhyNot? Forum. Raffle! Picture-taking! Sitting-in-chairs-waiting-for-people! After-party beers!

I did it again, didn’t I? Use my mutant power for writing unbearably-long blog entries? Here’s to iBlog5, and looking forward to the next one! :D

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Congratulations to Ms. Janette Toral and the other organizers for another successful iBlog!

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Also, a bunch of hellos to the allies who were met and seen at the event! Yes, I will remember you, even if it takes a while. :D

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