I started blogging after passing the board exam way back in 2007. While hunting for a job, every morning I dropped by a computer shop to search for the latest job vacancies posted in the net. Then I came across with the word blog in my Friendster account. I heard about blogging from my cousin. According to her, more and more people are having blog accounts about any topics under the sun. So I wrote initially about my vacations, my job hunting experiences and poems which you considered as emo-type poems.

Then I watched an episode in Mel & Joey about professional bloggers who earn ample amount of cash through their blogs. Being jobless with lots of time loitering at home, I decided to make a career in blogging. I left my usual Friendster blog and transferred to Blogger.com. I also tried linking my blogger account with my Multiply account. Earning money the easy way was my initial drive.

I secured an Adsense account and put advertisements in my blog accounts. I thought earning money was easy in blogging. I was wrong. My blog was not known in the blogosphere with limited traffic generated. It was so hard for me to advertise my blog to the point that I asked my closest friends listed in my Friendster account to visit my blog. Trying hard as I was, I still pursued my dream of being a “professional” blogger.

Days, weeks and months passed by and still I had nil amount of revenue from blogging. I decided to quit my “impossible” dream. But the writer in me continued to force my mind and fingers to punch the keys and to write. I came to the realization that being a newbie I should rather concentrate compiling more articles and let my readers enjoy what I wrote. But each article I wrote received no comments. Still I continued my blogging ways.

Months passed and I opened about blogging with Maan, one of my closest friends in college. I know her as a good writer. I definitely agree that she has the potential to become a lifestyle columnist. But she has no idea about blogging.

During those times I left my personal blog unmanaged. I shared to her the idea to create a new one involving her as co-owner of the blog. Each week a couple of article would be published from a single topic we both agreed to write. We named our blog as Cookies and Cream. I am the Cookie writing about the point of view from a guy and she is the Cream writing about the ladies’ side. To add flavors in our blogging, we alternately write a “Delectable Finale” about our weekly topic. Our joint-blog account was cute, awesome, and pleasant to read. It also gained appreciations from our friends.

My old drive to generate income from blogging was changed by the appreciations and comments our blog received. When Maan and I finally gained our confidence, we made a decision to “momentarily” close our Cookies and Cream blog and managed our own individual blogs. Until now we never got the chance to revive our blog.

From Blogger.com, I transferred to WordPress with unknown reason. It’s like switching from being a Kapuso to Kapamilya or vice-versa. I addressed myself as Dorm Boy. I intended to write anonymously about my experiences and stories living inside the dorm during college, while maintaining my identity in private. I also changed my style in writing. From being a meticulous and conscious in my English grammar, I wrote in Tagalog for the first time.

Masaya pala!

Mas relax magsulat sa sariling wika. Nasusulat ko lahat ng gusto ko at naging kengkoy din ako sa aking panunulat. Dumami friends ko which adds to my delight.

From receiving a one, two or three comments, I gathered wow ten… twenty… thirty… sixty comments. Of course responding to each comment completes my day.  Blogging changed my internet lifestyle. I gained friends whom I never met. I know much about them through their blogs. I hope one day I will meet them in real life. Just like in Avatar… I see you guys when I see you.

For now allow me to enjoy the renewed joy I found in blogging! I guess once you become a blogger you will and always be a blogger. I blogged yesterday, blog today and will still blog tomorrow.

Welcome to my new home.

Welcome to my dot com!

Eto po si Dorm Boy… dumadotcom lang!