DLSU Bloggers Congress

As part of my July 13 Hectic Wednesday schedule, eto ang isa pang event na pinuntahan ko: Bloggers Congress. It’s a half-day bloggers’ seminar made possible by De La Salle University and its student government’s Office of the Vice President for Internal Affairs. And no, walang kinalaman ang ating mga kongresista dito. It’s not my first time to attend a talk being held at DLSU. First one was the 4th Young Multimedia & Graphic Designers Summit last February this year. I’m somehow sure na parehas pa ng room (Room 1709 at Andrew Building). I learned about the bloggers’ seminar from David Guison, a sought-after fashion and photography blogger in the metro. He posted an invitation on his Facebook page and I commented that I was interested to attend (since it was open for non-DLSU… wait, I just realize that I am a former Archer. I transferred from DLSU pala hehe). So on that day, I went to work first, ate lunch at noon, then at around 1:30 PM, I left the office. Plano ko talaga umalis ng 12 noon kaso may pinahabol na fix up yung boss ko I took an MRT ride from Buendia to EDSA Taft then an LRT ride to Vito Cruz. Nilakad ko na lang from the station to Andrew Building. Ayos lang, sight seeing naman and feeling student ako ulit . Ako pa mismo nakakita sa name ko sa list sa information desk. Kulang ata sa Beta Carotene si Kuya Guard . Then I headed to the venue. The usherette checked my name on the list again and she gave me a leaflet and a coupon for mini raffle game. Tapos pasok na ako sa room. Buti hindi pa naman nagi-start yung talk; nagpaparaffle muna yung organizers .

Our1st speaker was Jill Bantang, the blogger behind The Food Scout. Nagsimula ang interest niya sa blogging when she realized that she wanted to share her food insights and experiences out of her usual foodtrips with her friends. Kwento pa niya, kadalasang hindi niya nauubos yung pagkain niya. Bagay kami: ako taga-ubos ng food niya. Joke She just don’t eat the food. Jill considers other factors (the place, service, ambience, cost, etc). I love the tips she shared to us. She used an acronym B.L.O.G. which stands for Believe in yourself, Look for your interest, Organize your thoughts, and Go for it/Go lang ng go (with matching Venus Raj Major Major acclamation). Simple pero malaman, parang palaman sa sandwich (oha, food-related ang banat, aminin niyo na it works!).

Next speaker was travel blogger Nina Fuentes of Just Wandering. As her site says, she’s a girl who just loves to travel. Super swerte niya kasi most of her trips are free/sponsored (but she admitted that sometimes free things come with a price… eh dapat hindi pala ‘free’ ang tawag. Joke). Through her blog, she shares her personal travel accounts to the readers and to awaken their passion for travel. Free trips? Gising na gising na nga ang passion ko eh As a blogger, Nina tackled a bit about the business side of blogging particularly on handling sponsored trips (like selling your soul to the devilbut keeping the disclosure). She also stressed out the passion, freedom, and the responsibility of blogging. Just wander but make it interesting . Sorry, no free plane tickets were given at the end of her talk

For the fashion blog portion, 2 speakers were invited. Lissa Kahayon aka the Scene Stealer was the first one to step in front of us. By the way, she looks like Cristine Reyes . Another alumni of DLSU just like Jill, Lissa had worked with Liz Uy (much like Rachel Zoe of the Philippines, or para sa showbiz fanatics, siya yung sikat na celebrity stylist at minsa’y na-link kay PNoy). She started her love for fashion blogging from browsing Chictopia (like Lookbook for girls). Now, she’s the one being browsed by fashionphiles . She emphasized the passion for your interest as well as on blogging (paano ka nga magboblog kung wala kang passion?) and the patience that you need. What I like from her points was about dealing with your readers (your followers and haters), never compromising who you really are, and that blogging should not be a competition nor a way of being just popular/to attack someone. Bakit nga pala “Scene Stealer”? Imagine her wearing high heels while doing groceries. Fashionably unusual, isn’t it? There you go, kahit binasa mo pa lang, naagaw na attention mo .

 Half of the fashion blogging talk was by David Guison (DG MNL). He’s currently studying at DLSU College of St. Benilde taking up AB Multimedia Arts, I think (whoah, we have the same course). I learned about him via Tumblr (I think it was one of Tricia Gosingtian’s post about a Forever 21 event). His fondness on fashion and photography made him start his blogging career. Now, David enjoys the perks and experiences of blogging by being invited to some society’s events (like this one), gracing the pages of magazines, being asked for expertise, and he is also one of the ambassadors to Forever 21 here in the Philippines. How cool is that! Super idol ko talaga si David . First impression ko sa kanya was snob pero when he talked in front of us, parang madaling pakisamahan and he even crack some jokes. He shared his art of blogging approach: he infuses his creative/artistic knowledge and skills with fashion sensibility and personality. At dahil dyan, he earned a lot of followers. David also made us aware of the disadvantages of blogging: gaining haters, posers (he had one from Indonesia ata and siya pa napagkamalang poser haha), and the threats of getting hacked. I also liked his portfolio presentation since we come from a common background .

I left the seminar when Lissa and David had a mini game wherein the attendees had the chance to dress up their models. Too bad I wasn’t able to hear THE Jason Magbanua because I had another event to catch up Di mo siya kilala? Then maybe you’re living under the rock. He is a popular wedding videographer, notable for candid and personal style approach on his projects. Sadly, kelangan kong umalis as soon as I could because my clubmates were expecting me (which is why why I don’t have any photos with them kasi yung meet-and-greet portion was on the last part of the program/kung kelan wala na ako). I’m sure Sir Jason had a fantastic talk during the Bloggers Congress.

Pero ganun pa man, maraming binigay na mga insights and tips ang guest speakers. Magwa-one year na ako as a blogger and mahaba pang panahon para mapausbong ‘tong blogsite ko (yung totoo, halaman?). Attending the seminar made me gain a lot of tips and advices and motivated me to be not just a blogger but a person who can inspire others. They may have different points but they agree on majority of things:

• You must have the love for something before you can share it to others. Passion is the key.
• Obviously, you must know how to write (hindi magsulat on papaer ah). It means you must know how to translate you thoughts into words. Have your own style in blogging. Make it interesting so readers will be entertained and can follow you eventually.
• Of course, they all agree on responsible blogging. Never compromise your safety and privacy. Think before you say something.
• You need patience to overcome the personal challenges in blogging as well as dealing with other people lalo na yung mga potential hater/critics mo.
• Value your audience as they value your entries.
• Lastly, don’t harass yourself. Have fun!

Thanks to David Guison for including me on the list kahit hindi kita na meet personally (hopefully, there’s another event that I can meet you and have a picture with you, idol). Salamat din sa mga organizers for having a helpful and fun event. BTW, funny nung isang girl na host, super kwela niya

Hot like Mexico, rejoice!

Beauty Thoughts by Janica Buhain

Ok, I think this is my first time to feature someone’s blog. It’s not just a blog. it’s a beauty blog. Kaya girls, feeling-girls, and boys who like pretty girls, check this out.

Janica, my schoolmate and friend, loves makeups. In fact, she’s a makeup artist. Kilala ko na siya since early last year pero hindi pa kami gaano close. I always see her at the school cafeteria or minsan nakakasalubong ko siya. I thought she was suplada and tahimik siya. Then I met her when I was scouting for a female contestant to represent our course for a college pageant. She was hesistant kaya I looked for someone else. Until I met her again, during a shoot of one of our school department’s pageant last year. She was one of the makeup artists of the shoot (ako naman yung isa sa photographers). This time, medyo nakakausap ko na siya. Hindi naman pala siya suplada. Masaya siya kausap and katrabaho. Ayun, hanggang sa pag nakakasalubong ko siya at pati sa Facebook, we always talk kahit saglit

A fashion shoot by Francis Reyes. Lumolookbook ah.

This is one of the best shots of her I've seen. Photography by Bam, one of my fellow photographers and friend of mine. Sa isang banda, fashion chic. Here, grabe ang sexy talaga.

After a school pageant last year. Todo ngiti ako di ba? Kaw ba naman, katabi mo isang napakagandang dilag, di ba ka mapapangiti ng todo?

Being a fashion + beauty + pageant photographer, I work with different people. Aside from models, I interact with other people responsible for the production (hair/makeup artists, stylists, crew, etc). We usually make kwentuhan and kulitan on the set kaya after the shoot, we usually end up being friends. And that’s how I ended up knowing Janica .

She wants to share her passion in makeup and beauty on her blog Beauty Thoughts. I’m a blog fan so I love visiting anyone’s blogs: whether about food, fashion, cartoons, tutorials, social commentaries, buhay-buhay, atbp. Kaya kahit about makeup, binabasa ko . Her site contains beauty tips and tutorials, product reviews, and the looks. Medyo konti pa lang yung entries but it’s promising. She has a potential kaya let’s support her

And the best part is she uses herself as her model . Having a beautiful woman demonstrating beauty tips and advises? What more can I ask for? (Uy, tuwa na si Janica haha!)

Her blogsite Beauty Thoughts screenshot. It really speaks about her personality: charming, sweet, girly, easy, breezy, beautiful... COVERGIRL! Joke.

 

She also has her own YouTube channel. Don’t forget to watch her makeup tutorials. What I like about her videos is that even if she doesn’t opt to speak, you still get it (with the help of subtitles and clear demonstration of how to do things step by step).

If you have questions and requests, you may e-mail her at dianejanica@yahoo.com. And sorry, she’s taken. And another thing, don’t play tricks with her kung ayaw niyo mabugbog ng boyfriend niyang kasing-taas ng Petronas. Joke, I’m just exaggerating).

God bless, Janica! Continue doing your thing and more beauty experiences to come

Hot like Mexico, rejoice!

Congratulations, Ms Bea! (12th Philippine Web Awards)

Trophy award ni Ms Bea. ©Skysenshi

Last April 8 (Friday), nasa art exhibit ako sa DLS-CSB SDA… ♫ all…by…myself…♫ At dahil mag-isa akong pumunta, sinubukan kong maghanap ng makakasama pero I realized everyone I wanted to invite were so busy (malapit na kasi nun ang Finals Week ng APC). And I had to confirm the exhibit from my college professor and friend of mine, Ms Bea. Habang ako ay nasa building na at nagmimilipit sa hiya (wala kasi akong kakilala dun kaya shy type ang drama ng inyong abang lingkod), tinext ko si Ms Bea kung may exhibit ba talaga sa SDA. Knowing that she served as college instructor at CSB, I was hoping that she was also there. Baka ininvite rin siya ng friends niya who were also teaching there. Pero she told me that I must ask Ate Cris Dumlao. Kaya napagtanto ko na hindi niya alam and hindi siya pumunta.

I had no one to talk to kaya I just texted her again about what I was feeling at that moment. Nagreply siya pero tipid . I was wondering kung bakit (pero alam kong ganoon naman talaga si Miss, she’s not into texting, I suppose). Inisip ko busy siya. Kaya I decided to take some bravery and roam the winding corridor of the 10th floor of SDA where the exhibit was taking place.

The next day, I found out that she won an award from the 12th Philippine Web Awards. Kaya pala hindi na nagreply sa text ko haha! As far as I can remember, she already mentioned in her blog a month ago that one of her sites, Otaku Fridge, made it to the semifinals of the seemed-to-be-like-the-Academy Awards of the Philippine cyberspace. And after surges of outpouring support from her colleagues, friends, family, relatives, and students (ehem, kasali ako), her entry finally made it. I’m super happy!

For her story about her winning the award for best website (blog category), click here.

I was able to saw a video clip (but I can’t upload it here) during when she accepted the award and gave a speech. That was the shortest speech I’ve ever heard. Haha! Bilang sa daliri ko sa kamay + daliri sa paa ang mga salita niya . And ang suot… naka jeans! Tinaob ang mga nakabarong at terno gowns sa venue! Haha!

Congratulations, Ms Bea! You deserve the award. Finally, you got it after trials and nominations. Honestly, kung hindi dahil sa inyo, hindi ko susubukang mag-blog (hindi ako magaling magsulat, sa totoo lang). I remember when you handled us (your first batch at APC), you encouraged us to have a Multiply account. At first, di ko trip yung blogging pero through the years, I got hooked. Now, I made this WordPress account in honor of you (NAKS). And I’m sure hindi lang ako kundi marami din ang naiinspire magblog because of you . I hope that next time, yung Skysenshi.com naman ang isali mo . God bless you and keep on inspiring us through your blogs. Mabuhay ♥ (okie, ang bakla ng heart hahaha!)

Hot like Mexico, rejoice!

The Air Prince