Saturday, June 13, 2009

Returning to the blogosphere…

Making a comeback to the blog-o-sphere is a daunting task, dreadful even. First, there’s always this lingering question, “What am I going to write about?” Then, after figuring out the answer to that question, I started to doubt myself, wondering if I still have “it”.

You see, after the untimely demise of my Friendster blog a good two or three years ago, I promised myself that I shall never go blogging again. Yes, my first blog mysteriously vanished into the thin air, and those folks at Friendster (God bless them) can’t provide any clue why it happened. I guess there must be a Bermuda triangle hidden somewhere in the cyberspace and therein lies my poor blog. And to add insult to serious injury, I still don’t know the meaning of the word “back-up” then.

And now here I am, making a career comeback. I guess you can call me the Britney Spears of the blogging world, minus two sons and a kick-ass bod. And to go back to that previous question, as to what I should be writing about, well… uhmm.. I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t. My earlier blogs (yes, this is my nth attempt) were originally intended to be my online literary folios, but now, I guess I might be too old to write about poetry and stuff. A lot of things have changed since then. When I created my Friendster blog in 2006, I was a college professor. I still got soul then. Now, I’m just a robot, thriving in a corporate world where you are not allowed to think for yourself. In short, my work sucked the life out of me. I guess, creating this blog is my way to reclaim it.

I felt that I’ve already lost my creative mojo, and I wonder when I’ll be able to get it back. A couple of days ago, a good friend of mine, Ate Mabel, texted me. She said she was cleaning her room when she stumbled upon a decade-old college newspaper, and she marveled at the articles under my byline and wondered why I've stopped writing. In my reply, I told her that it would take time before I’ll be able to get my groove back.

Nevertheless, I’m just ecstatic that I’m finally starting to see my blog taking shape. I mean, it’s not perfect and all. My current blog entries are littered with clichés and grammatical errors; they’re nothing compared to articles I’ve written in the past. If I tell you that I used to collect journalism awards way back in college and contribute articles for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, I’m pretty sure you’ll say I’m just full of crap. But just like a proud momma to her baby, I’m very satisfied with my present blog. It’s perfectly imperfect in its own right. It may not match the depth and relevance of the blog of my former co-editor (and pretty darn good writer) Ysrael, or the insight of my sorely-missed friend Mahalia's, or the cool factor of my colleague Teng’s, or the humor of my fave blogger MisterHeuge's, or the wit of my fave director Jun Lana's, but just by rejoining the more than 100 million bloggers in the planet gives me a immense sense of pride. Yes, I’m getting there.

In a workshop, the multi-awarded screenwriter Ricky Lee once told me, “Write what you know. That all it takes”. And that’s exactly what I’m doing. Therefore, I don’t need to pretend that I know everything about politics or computers or Math. You may find me ranting about the results of American idol, or reviewing a current flick or a Milan Kundera book, or complaining about work, or commenting on some random YouTube video, or drooling on my newest Brazilian boytoy Bernardo Velasco. The topics may be as shallow and diverse as a kaning-baboy, but I guess that’s what I am.

So I guess I just have to keep on blogging and rally against inertia before I pass that darn Bermuda triangle again.

Oh, and please remind me to BACK-UP.

13 comments:

Hibernating Bear said...

Ken if your having doubts about your scribbling mojo, well I should be having my A(H1N1) of it. I stoppped writing since the day I mingled with politicians and dipped my hand in the dirty cookie jar of political operation. If your on your toes getting back to writing, well i pale comparison. Your the Queen (or King), and I am the great Dame. If I can only share with you the one MS Word file that contains all those unfinished, poorly written thoughts that I have, then I should say I envy you for writing back. I barely know my subject-verb agreement (papatayin ako ni Mrs. Maaño). Endnote: you want a tip? consult the Great Speller, baka mabigyan ka nya ng bagong word... Goodluck sa akin, goodlick sa iyo.. hahaha

HB said...

"i write better before" is already a syndrome. dont worry nagagalingan pa rin naman ako magsulat sa iyo. as if thy opinion matters e no?

Canuto said...

@HB... you're just pulling my leg.

Canuto said...

@Shagami...

Not only did I consult thy Great Speller, but I had to summon all the gods that I know, from Jesus Christ to Allah to Meryl Streep, just to finish my last blog entry. Well, di lang si Dahlia Maaño ang papatay sa kin, isama mo pa si Nilds Villenas, Gloria Ramallosa at Myrna Quisao. But you've done enough to help me out. You, Mahalia and hundreds of bloggers who have inspired to wield my pen (or my mouse) again. I wonder if those former The L peepz feel the same way as we do. Have they lost their muses as well?

Mahalia said...

I love the Bermuda triangle angle. You still have it in you. Just summon up the courage to push that proverbial pen again and it will come.

"Writing gets in your blood" ika nga ng Writer's Guild lesson na iapplyan ko.

It is in you, just let those writing muscles get you back on your feet. I have a few tricks to share:

1. do a memory bank. A big notebook and write a label on each page. Like: earliest memories, toys, mother, dad, where were you on this famous occasion, family feuds, courtship, etc. then get a loose leaf pad to insert in each page. the rules are: be yourself, don't worry how it sounds, relate to distant past and recent past in each fly leaf paper, the 5 W's, do a commentary on your own experiences (objectively, which is hard to do), remember to include humor, be honest, do not let it be a recital of events but a story telling like your kids will read it long after we are gone. Most importantly, read the rules as often as you fill the pages. You need not fill it in the pages where the notebook was ordered.

2. Fill it with sensual detail. People relate to sensory writing more so than concept writing. This is one thing I got from the UCLA classes I took.

3. Find an angle even in trivial things like riding a full jeep with sweating bears inside. Kahit na ano ang isulat mo sa blog as long as there is some kind of routine (I found this the hardest thing for my own). As long as nakaka-relate ang mga readers natin, they will come.

4. Be Ken, the one that inspired me to write.

I hope I was not being too --ano bang tawag doon?-- ahh, imposing. Just tricks and tips I used to get my blog going.

Canuto said...

@mahalia

you're not being imposing, you're just being Mahalia LOL! Kidding! But thanks for the comment, which could be lengthier than the actual blog entry you're commenting on! It felt nostalgic; it's just like the old days when we would share tips and advises while walking along the Banyuhay bridge on our way to the Central Canteen. Well, these are helpful tips, but you know me, the great procrastinator. Keep 'em coming!

Joyce said...

Oh my your blog disappeared? I thought I lost mine a couple days ago when Wordpress froze my blog bec of questionable content. I sent them 3 messages asking what content it was and that I was willing to fix it. The following day I got email from them saying it was an accident and they were sorry about the trouble it caused. But for ONE NIGHT i was depressed and forlorn and thought that I'd never ever see my blog again. So I sort of know how you feel... or felt, I should say. Anywhooooo, you really should keep on writing, I love your 'voice'...

Canuto said...

@Joyce.. hey thanks for dropping by. Guess what, my blog was originally intended to be pageant-themed as well... but I've got a lot of things on my mind lately. But anyway, you'll see pageant stuff here from time to time. Can I put you in my blog roll? Let's cross our fingers for Bianca!

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