10 Reasons Why My Father Could Have Been an Uber Blogger

by Jan Geronimo on April 9, 2009


There’s an uber blogger in my family and it’s not me. My father might have been the resident uber blogger and could have given Darren Rowse a run for his money. Here’s why:

1. Respect and love for language. He knows English like the back of his own hand. And functional Spanish. And a host of dialects native to the Philippines.

2. Voracious appetite for reading. Where do you think I got my passion for reading? The old man can read me under the table any time of day.

3. Go to guy. He can take on any job. He’s a farmer, stevedore, photographer, diarist, craftsman, carpenter, event organizer, fisherman, life of the party, and a great husband. He can draw from all these experience to enrich his writing. Blogging is a walk in the park for him.

4. People skills. He’s great at networking. Give him five minutes of your time and he’d chart your family tree for you. He simply knows everybody.

5. Eye for photography. Okay, except for the initial mishap of ordering a camera which turned out was for aerial photography and thus utterly useless for him, he’d actually earned a living from his exploits in photography.

6. Generosity. He can be counted on to give the shirt off his back. Back in the old days, he had even given a piece of land in exchange for a pair of sandals for my mother. Of course, inflation was unheard of in those days.

7. Open mind. It’s not enough our house is open for all cousins and friends who needed help. His mind is sturdy and wide enough to accommodate new and even conflicting ideas.

8. Optimism. I remember the time when I committed a grave error. Horrible personal story, this. So I’m not prepared yet to share it. But instead of giving me hell, my father had this to say to me: “Remember this, son, you’re the apple of my eye.” Since then I’ve mended my ways because I don’t want to dishonor him.

9. Humility. I think of my father as a Renaissance man. He’s all these things and more, but it’s not in him to rub it in. He and Darren Rowse would have gotten along like a house on fire.

10. Persistence. He can apply himself to new concepts of doing things. Nothing fazes him. Okay, there’s one exception. When my mother died, my father followed 15 days after. Cannot bear the thought of mother being out there all alone. That’s my old man.

You’re not here anymore, father. But you’ve left me a legacy that will serve me well in blogging. I will do my darn best not to disappoint you.

And hey, old man. Happy birthday! It’s a pity I have not said this to your face when you’re still here. But for once let me shout it out: I love you, man.

But don’t go fetch me yet. I still have a blog to keep.

Photo: David Hensen

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  • It runs in the blood pala Jan. It is nice knowing your father through your blog. Oh, I love the way he told you that you're the apple of his eyes even you have done something worse.

    And I have to LOL on you asking him not to fetch you yet. I'm sure he's proud of you. But will be more proud if you could at least write a post a month? he he he..
  • Ahehehe. He's got good genes. Pag dating sa akin it's diluted na, I
    suspect. But not to worry, this home grown apple still aims to do well.
    Thanks. :)
  • Roy
    easily, one of my personal favorites Jan ;)

  • jan
    Yeah, fathers cast a long shadow on our lives. Big influence. Even if they don't play their roles right they still have this effect on us.


    Hehehe. My father could have been a better, much better networker than me. He's terrific people skills. People gravitated toward him and he played the part to the hilt.



    I don't know. There might be a virus somewhere. We all caught it. You, me, fifi. :)
  • elmot
    now i know where the genes came from. from the old man. good tribute big bro. for sure your father is also tweeting somewhere, you can always hit that search button eh :D


    why are all people here writing about their fathers!?



    Recent blog post: The Father That I Have Come to Love
  • Jan
    @yatot: Sure, I understand. How's the pope, by the way? ",)


    I can't be sure where my father is now. He might be in Facebook or Twitter holding court. Maybe even your father, too.
  • yatot
    sorry for the late pabati... im offline this holy week... you know... abstinence... wahhehehe..


    anyway, belated happy birthday to your dad... wherever he is... i surely miss my dad too.. but his long gone na din, already!
  • Jan
    Count Sneaky:


    My post is really late. There is so much that's being taken for granted between father and son, so many things left unsaid. Alas, when I have the grace and guts to speak he's already gone.



    Any extra day we're given on earth is an occasion to rise above our flawed and inept ways of reaching out to our loved ones. And I'm grateful to make it up to those are still here with me.



    I'm deeply flattered you have visited, my good sir. Thank you.
  • Count Sneaky
    Fine tribute to your father, Jan. I thought growing up that my father was a good man and father. Then, in my teens, I found out that he was the finest man I ever knew or would know. We spent time together and though he has been gone for more than 20 years, I still miss him so very much. Count Sneaky
  • Jan
    @Roy: Thanks, Roy. Writing contest? Hmmm, scary! lol


    Father was still alive when blogging started, but we did not know about it. Yeah, it sucks. Blame cable TV and inane tv shows for that. But it's all water under the blogging bridge now. Gotta move on.



    @fifi: Me, too. I'm not in ICU like you. ",)



    @dede: I'm all about sharing, my friend. Sometimes I have to consciously stop myself because I tend to run off the mouth. Thanks for visiting.



    @Ismail: I'm glad you're back writing again, Ismail. I was starting to wonder what's bugging you lately. Thanks. Yes, father can wait and being a generous man that he was, he'd understand. ",)
  • Ismail N
    A tribute? Fifi is right - it always heartwarming to see sons talking about their fathers in a positive light. Everyone shld be proud of their own parents and I must say that you have such a great father, great idol for you too. Btw, I'm with you on the last line. Will miss you very much if such unfortunate thing happen.. ha ha. Happy Blogging friend.
  • dede
    Hi Jan,


    Its a good article,..thank for sharing!



    http://www.eblogtalk.com/
  • fifi
    oh, the kindle again (*sniff*). i've been promised one but on some daunting conditions that i'm still working on.


    i found one for sale on the internet but there is no word yet as to its workability in the phils. i have read one who uses it here but he had his amazon account while he was still in the US and continues to use the same here. i am sooo dying to have one. :(
  • Roy
    "don't fetch me yet"


    hehehe... I love it! there couldn't be any better place in the post to put it.



    nice post (and tribute) for your father Jan! It's in your genes after all.



    You're right, he could have been a very active blogger with lots of ideas to share.



    You might considering entering this (and your future posts) at plotdog.com's writing contest.



    It would be a great experience Jan.



    See you there!
  • Jan
    @Dee: Re Kindle and the likelihood of us islanders not being to download books online I will have to ask my friend Jaypee first.


    What I know is that we still can't order one from Amazon. We have to course it thru folks we are abroad. But let me ask around.



    What's the point really if we can't download from here. As long we can pay, I think we should. But I'll ask my friend to be sure.



    Re the blog topic: hahaha. You don't want to bring out your talons, huh? Might get rusty if you don't use them. lol
  • Dee
    Oh, really? That's so nice. I'm beginning to believe he's a man ahead of his time. Great man, indeed.


    Ay, speaking of Kindle2, did you know that it isn't yet available here in the Philippines. That even if somebody in the US buys it for you and brings it here, we still couldn't download the ebooks? Is that true, because now I really want one. It's really nice 'coz I have all the books I want with me anywhere, anytime.



    Oh that topic (bloggers who doesn't return visits), I'll leave that to you. I don't have the necessary data to carry that off.:D
  • Jan
    @Dee: I imagine father Tonying has something like a Kindle2 e-reader - or whatever device they have in heaven these days - to catch up on what I'm up to. lol. He takes after me - loves gadgets, too.


    About bloggers who don't reciprocate? Top of my head: maybe they're scatterbrained just like me? lol. That's a good idea. Will take note of this. You're right - that will make one interesting post.



    Why not come up with one? Then I will write a contrary view. And I will snarl at you across the web. Lol. Just kidding.



    Thanks for the suggestion, Dee.
  • Dee
    This is nice, Jan. Your father must be so happy to read this. He seems to be a really great man. I wish we have more of the likes of him these days - with integrity and the good things that defines what a man should be to deserve to be called a man. :D


    Oh, I read your comment in my last post, particularly about bloggers who doesn't return visits. I've been meaning to ask you on your take on that? What do you think is the proper way to handle that? Maybe you can post about that topic since it's about blogging...just an idea, no pressure.:D
  • Jan
    @Xp: Okay, I admit the post is a tad raw. My parents left years ago. And it's father's birthday and I so miss him.


    Ugh. But thanks for the compliment. You're a joker. But I'd take a joke disguised as a compliment from you anytime. ",)
  • I am Xprosaic
    And there goes the soft side of Jan! jejejeje. Really! It's nice to see people acknowledging and appreciating people around him especially his parents. Now we know where you came from... It runs from the blood! Just be careful okay?! Because of great bloodline, ladies might request to bear Jan jr.... Kidding!
  • Jan
    @fifi: Yeah, that was a double whammy for us. But that could not be helped - it was one of those things.


    Yes, he would have found it okay. Especially with something like rice wine or beer between us. You're right, thanks for the lovely thought.



    @Terry: We're asked to write a list post in Darren's program: 31 Days to Better Blogging at Problogger.



    I'm tempted to write a list of blogging resources for writers. But it's father Tonying's birthday. Tried to weave it in.



    Father would not mind being mentioned in the same breath with Darren. So I guess father would have been pleased. Thank you. ",)
  • Terry Heath
    I was surprised to see where this post went, and found it really touching. As bingkee said, I can see where you got your blogging talents from. Keep up the good work, I bet your father would be proud!
  • fifi
    it was tragic to have lost your parents one after the other but you turned out okay, i think. lol. it's always heartwarming to see sons talking about their fathers in a positive light; i always have this picture of sons deprived of their father's approval, hoping all their life to get it. he must have been smiling while you were writing this post.
  • Jan
    @bingkee: I've got the writing genes, the looks? The jury is still out on that one. But I will take the guts to write any time.


    Aba, another award. Thanks!
  • bingkee
    So u got the genes and it's been years just hiding in your system.


    I have another award for u Jan coz I heart ur blog too.
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