Two days before the August 8 awarding of the Top 10 Influential Blogs of 2009, I’ve found out I’ve become literally too big for my breeches. So I asked for my family’s help. After all I have a non-existent wardrobe.
“What do you need a pants for?” my elder sister asked me. I don’t exactly wear kilts around these parts. Walking shorts and slippers will not do in the city, right?
This means my secret is out. My family does not know I keep a blog, let alone receive recognition for it. It’s a tiring session. I have to explain what the award is for, which led them to ask what is a blog and all that arcane stuff. It’s very hard explaining to the uninitiated what a blog is. But I did very well – I managed to borrow a pair of pants, a polo shirt, a digicam. Even leather shoes were promised.
Now, they know I’ve not been playing DOTA in my room in my spare hours.
The original influenza bloggers
Good thing, I arrived in the city early enough to have coffee with online buddies. Doc Z, Yatot and I were the first to arrive at a coffee shop outside of Mall of Asia. We were soon joined by Lyle Ham, Elmot, Novz, Jhongmed, Roel and Boni. We had so much fun everybody thought it a great idea to just hold the awarding ceremony in the coffee shop’s premises.
Influenza Bloggers: Jhongmed, Lyle, Elmot, Doc Z (standing), Boni, Roel, Jan, Yatot & Novz. Photo Credit: Doc Z
Now, I have not met these guys before. But anybody who might walk in on us having fun there would have thought we’ve been buddies for life. Lyle kept the table rocking with his funny stories about his experience in online freelance work as a web designer. And there’s Novz with his quiet humor. Roel with his exploits as SEO expert. And Boni – how can I forget Boni and his Naruto posts.
I screamed a silent scream when Boni was introduced at the table. So this is the blogger that inspired me to write that tirade against Naruto posts. I felt very smart when I wrote that post. Guess how I felt when I was introduced to Boni?
But Boni is a gentleman blogger. He let me off the hook. I swear I’ve counted the times Elmot tried to get the rise out of him by mentioning about Naruto posts. And yet the cool, quiet Boni just smiled it off.
A whole month’s worth of post can be written as a result of that fun-filled moments with the Influenza Bloggers. Lyle with his funny story about how his wife’s buddies screwed his chance at earning his first $100. Jhong and his close encounter with thugs. Yatot’s intimate knowledge of the dark side of SEO. Roel and Boni with their SEO expertise and on-target advice. And lastly there’s Doc Z. How can God be so unfair! How can a man with dashing good looks and great voice be gifted as well with creative writing prowess? Beats me.
There was so much star power in that table alone that I felt smarter just to be in their company.
I wished Roy was with us with his one-liners. He had timed his arrival for the awards just so his children would not get impatient.
But no matter. He’s part of the group. He’s been rewarded too with the Influenza Blogger Award. There was plenty to go around.
For Jedi bloggers Roy, Doc Z and I, it’s our first award on that fateful 8th of August.
