7 things this blog has been up to, apart from, well, reading

I’ve been back to blogging just a few weeks but I’ve been posting here like a frenzied maniac, despite my earlier promises of taking it slow, sharing my thoughts on several short stories for Short Stories on Wednesdays, poems for The Poetry Project, and homegrown works for Readings in Philippine Literature. Then, out of the blue but with purpose (eventually, that is), I began featuring writings from the Philippine regions.

Today, I’m taking a momentary break from too much reading (though there is so much pleasure in that, what with the long weekend!) and just share with you what Simple Clockwork has been up to apart from, well, reading and reviewing. The list below comes in no particular order.

# 1 - My post, Happy World Bloggers Day, won first prize in the World Bloggers Day Blogging Contest last May, which is so ages ago. I won an overnight stay at a posh new business hotel in the city, which I never got around to taking because the gift certificate was already due the following month and my working schedule was full. By that time, I was already back to school, taking up Saturday classes. In truth, I valued more the fact that the blogging contest was the first I joined and then won. 

Here's an excerpt of my winning post, explaining the event's theme "It's more FUN in blogging and social media!"

# 2 - Another surprise came my way in May when I went back to blogging. Logo-ligi honored me with the Sunshine Award. While I expressed my gratitude, I was not able to produce a formal post acknowledging the award. I hope this post counts. Thank you again to logo-ligi (I enjoy your creative, straight-to-the-point, no-nonsense posts very much; they are enough to prompt me into reflection). 

Below are my brief answers to the same questions posted in logo-ligi’s blog:

What is your favorite childhood memory? Playing house using my mother’s equipment, such as iron (unplugged, of course)
What is the real fear you have? Uncertainty
How would you describe yourself? Hard worker
What states have you lived in? Philippines
What is your style? Reflective
What is your favorite breakfast food? Waffles
What are some of your hobbies? Drawing and driving
If you could tell people anything, what would be the most important thing to say? Strive to be happy.
What is one of your passions? Writing
What is one truth you have learned? Happiness is a choice.

# 3 - Richard Due, author of The Moon Coin (a great book!), sent me a very beautiful email in July. He informed me that a line/blurb from my review of his book was published in the back flap of his work that saw print with the Gibbering Gnome Press. The Moon Coin is illustrated wonderfully by Carolyn Arcabascio. So after I read Richard’s email, there I went... I totally bowled over. And my friends bowled over with me. Thank you very much, Richard and Carolyn!

# 4 - I’ve been book blogging in less than a year and I’ve been enjoying it so far. I mean, I keep saying I don’t think I’m going to be bored with it for a long time. One of the things that kept me going are the interaction with readers and the friendship forged along the way that affirm, in a way, I’m on the right track as far as the purpose of this blog is concerned. 

Posted on my page, Philippine Literature

Posted by my post, [Filipino Folio # 3] The Activist by Antonio Enriquez

Posted on my post, [Readings in Philippine Literature: Short Story # 5] Children of the Ash-Covered Loam by N. V. M. Gonzales

# 5 - Whenever I can, I do guest posts. I’ve done two already. The first one is titled, “With the surge of e-books, are physical books dying?” and posted at my friend Agnes’ blog. Agnes and I are members of the Cebu Bloggers Society Inc. (CBSi). The second one is titled, “The books Cebu bloggers are reading” and posted at the mother site of CBSi. I will be doing a couple more guest posts for CBSi where, through some force of human nature, I’ve been elected vice president-internal. While the posts are related to reading and reviewing, I like the shift from reviewing to writing feature-like blog posts.

# 6 - A new page on my blog shows the causes I support primarily through information dissemination. So far on my list are Reach Out and Read, BookUp, and the Basadours. I continue to search for advocacies I could help push for public support. Recently, I helped, in my small capacity, promote The Filipino Reader Con 2012 by participating in its Filipino Friday, tweeting, and posting on Facebook. The event took place last Saturday in Filipinas Heritage Library in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, north of the country, and about one hour flight from my province of Cebu. Unexpectedly, I was declared the last Filipino Friday raffle winner. I’m not sure what the prize is but, of course, I hope it would be a book.

# 7 - I did mention that I went back to school, right? I am pursuing postgraduate studies in media studies. And I’m thoroughly enjoying my Saturday classes (sometimes Sunday classes). Even when I report on topics not related to book blogging, I promoted my blog’s URL on my presentations. Here are my class reports:

New Trends in Media for Public Information Dissemination
Media Convergence and the Players in the Global Media System
Managing your Reputation on Cyberspace
Freebies and Financial Concerns and the News Personnel

Time really flies fast. Last January, this quietly turned one in terms of personal blogging. In October, Simple Clockwork will turn one when we strictly talk of book blogging. So much has happened within a span of just several months. This list actually tells me that there is still so much I can do and I want to do. So, despite an earlier sharing, quitting blogging is out of the question.

What has your blog been up to, apart from reading and reviewing?


- Nancy -