Year: 2007

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Mostly Everything

BuggedCast Episode 4 – “Bring in the Geeks!”

geek-chorus.jpg
Gabe and JC on Rock Ed Radio prior to the podcast session in my car

And now for something light and happy! For my guests, I had good friends JC Medina and Gabe Mercado, who are the co-founders of Geek Chorus. Organizing “stupid events for smart people” Geek Chorus aims to bring geek culture into the mainstream in the Philippines.

This was also my chance to test out my theory on developing studio quality “mobile podcasting” which meant turning my cute Corolla into a (oven hot) recording studio. If you are really stripped of cash and need to record something, the car makes for a very good alternative recording studio. And you know what … it works!

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Download the MP3 file here. [28MB]
Conversation is in both English and in the local dialect, Filipino. Traces of geek speak are also in this podcast.

Show notes:

  • The 2007 Definition of a Geek
  • Geek organizations in the Philippines
  • The Geek Survival Guide
  • Being Geek is Being Interactive
  • A Short History of Geek Chorus
  • Nintendo DS Nights on May 4!!
  • Playlist Night on May 16 (stay tuned for my Kenny Loggins remixes – Jayvee)
  • Mag:Net Cafe at Bonifacio High Street Opens on May 7
  • Powerpoint Nights @ The Living Room on June 2
  • Blogger Flash Mobbing, SRA Nights and Intermediate Pad Paper Olympics
  • Medieval War Engines Day for 1st Year Anniv on Feb 2008
  • Welcome to the studio Mia Tengco of all girl band Wake Up Your Seatmate

For more inquiries, you can email Geek Chorus at yarr at geekchorus dot org.

Erratum: I accidentally mentioned that it was episode 5 on air. This is actually episode 4.

Categories
Mostly Everything

Sunday Entertainment: Silk Road Saga by Mark Leung

This is thanks to Patrick, b5media’s Ironic Gamer. This is the latest release from the retro Mark Leung. The one prior to this was more fun though at 41 minutes long.

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Mostly Everything

Bloggers aren’t journalists – they’re bloggers!

Many months ago I entered the new media industry with a lot of assumptions about blogging and journalism. Having been in both sides of the fence, the blogging industry and the media are two sides of the same coin, yet have really not been tossed into the fire — this was back in 2007. One year does a lot to people.

Now that I run a blog advertising network I can lay several assumptions to rest as I’m learning so much about the blogging industry. We’re learning so much because we’re actually making things happen with the BlogBank. I’ll probably post a few of these learnings soon. They are, actually, very surprising.

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Mostly Everything

Blogger Today, What Tomorrow?

Today, they’re known as bloggers. In the near future (2-3 years), what will they become? Can you stay a problogger forever?

I was at Boracay a few days ago with some telco folk and while having dinner at popular Greek resto Cyma I engaged in a conversation with one of their bosses who has been in the content creation industry here and abroad for the better part of his life. Here I was talking to someone roughly the age of my dad who knew about the power of blogging, viral marketing, the long tail, the gamer and blogger culture from a more scientific standpoint than how most of us bloggers did.

He said something that struck me, echoing a distant thought I had about where to take my career in the next several years. No, I’m not saying I’m looking for work – I’m more than satisfied with the things I do with the b5media folks. I’m talking more about how to transform yourself to fit your career path. Let me paraphrase what he told me:

The future of content creation and new media all converges in the telco industry.

I was trying to digest this thought. The telco is the conduit for personalized media allowing companies to send data directly to the consumer. As bloggers, we are also used to the paradigm that we are all glorified publishing houses and having this mindset can be very valuable. We also talked about how the standard 70-30 profit share (70% goes to telco) for content providers is slowly being realized to be a flawed business model (it really was, which turned off so many content companies to enter into “business”). Is it safe therefore to say that bloggers are in the business of content creation? Yes I do. Because by observation, bloggers do expand into online audio (podcast) and online video. It’s all about how serious they are into transforming themselves.

On a side note, there is always the option of the problogger to go into the traditional publishing industry. Publishing companies now have online versions of their magazine and probloggers are welcome additions to their team in many ways, from … well … blogging to new media consulting work.

Have you ever thought about your future as a blogger?

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Mostly Everything

Julia Campbell’s Blogging Legacy

I was chatting with Rock Ed founder Gang Badoy a few minutes ago and she asked if I could publish her statement on blogs. She added that I was partly to blame for her renewed appreciation of blogs and blogging ever since we did an episode of the BuggedCast and had me over at Rock Ed Radio last weekend.

“At first I thought blogging was a manifestation of conceit and self-absorption. I thought it was an arena for writers who weren’t good enough to be published without their help. I was wrong. After someone I knew (Julia Campbell, US Peace Corps) passed away, I read her blog and realized that I, too, will go someday. At least I can leave this blog for my nephews and nieces who are educated abroad to read. I want them to know that Auntie Gang tried to do something. The tiny dent that I intend to make is really in their hearts and their minds. That they will always offer their genius to the Motherland. That the Philippines is nothing without them. I know that no matter how big, loud, or grand our concerts are, there will be no change if the efforts don’t translate to providing education, a building of a rational government, simple diligence, and people staying put. These can turn the Philippines from a political and economic mess into a prosperous nation. In one sentence — I want to prove that there is something to be said about staying home and offering the little things.”

–Gang Badoy, 25 April 2007 7:22 pm Katipunan Road