Pinoy Blog Superstar January 2008 Nominees!

This announcement is gonna be short and sweet…

I have finally chosen the nominees for the “Best Blog Writer” for January 2008. It’s time once again for…

Pinoy Blog SOOperstar!

Please do note that I have tweaked my judging process a little, since I have become quite busier than usual these days:

1) All bloggers who added me in their blogroll are qualified, but bloggers should post at least five entries in a month. However, only the last three entries will be judged. In the case of podcasters, three entries are the minimum.

2) The blogs are then divided into groups, with nominees from the previous month delegated to the Red Team, the new entries delegated to the White Team, and the rest are properly sorted. Meanwhile, previous winners between October 2007 and September 2008 will compete for “The” Pinoy Blog Superstar 2008. Details will be revealed in the coming months.

3) Each blog is judged according to the following preliminary criteria:

* Is the author passionate with blogging?

* Does the author write with quality content?

* Does the author write with original content?

4) The blogs that stand out from these criteria would then undergo a second round of judging according to the following criteria:

* Does the author write in a consistent style?

* Has it kept you engaged in reading?

* Does the blog deserve more readers?

Since there are currently eight teams in my blogroll (with team names inspired from “Star Olympics” because I love German Moreno), only one nominee is chosen in each group.

Again, to my blogroll friends: Don’t be sad if you weren’t nominated. It’s a tough competition, as well as a tough decision.

Let’s start with the representative of Hapee Red Team, consisting of nominees from the previous month. After a tough round, the chosen one is…

A.bba: Adbentyurs ng Bikolanang Baklang Aktibista

The perennial bridesmaid Kiks has proven that a life-changing disease will not stop him to live a happy and fruitful life.

(You need to read this excerpt aloud to get its humor…)

Me: O, what happened to you this morning?

Bonnie: I was making takbo in our subdivision when this mama, this mama made lakad-lakad beside me. (again, in increasing pitch and volume) And you know what he said to me? And you know what he said to me? And you know what he said to me?

Me: What did he tell you?

Bonnie: Sabnya. Sabnya. Mess, mess, anglake ng ssma. (Sabi nya. Sabi nya. Miss, miss, ang laki ng susu mo.)

Me(not laughing): What, he said that to you? Sobra, syempre nagalit ka.

Bonnie: (once more, in increasing pitch and volume) Yeah. Yah. YEAAAAH! I was so galet talegah. (for the nth time, in increasing pitch and volume) And you know what I said to him? You know what I said to him? You know what I said to him?

Me: O, what did you say to him?

Bonnie: (again…) I said to him. I said to him. I said to him. Ptngnamah! (pauses for a second.) Okay, gottago to class pa. See you later, guys.

— from “Coniang Bonnie”

We now turn our attention to the Zest-O Orange Team, which was another tough competition between two bloggers. However, only one stood out and became the team’s nominee…

Bakla Ako, May Reklamo?

Beneath the multitude of ads are posts that are meant to inform and empower the gaydom!

DO NOT WEAR A CARTOON CHARACTER TIE! Ever! Unless of course you’re in a children’s party or the event is a Cartoon Character Tie Party! How do you expect your superiors or your subordinates to respect you if what they see when they’re talking to you is Tweety Bird?

Also, it is a general rule (but you can break this if you can carry it and no one notices) not to wear a checkered tie with a striped dress shirt, and vice-versa.

— from “Practical Fashion Tip #4”

Empress Maruja now presents the nominee from Apollo Yellow Team, after another intense battle between two bloggers…

Demented Pictures

Already an outstanding blogger (he got nominated for a Webby and featured on the Bloggy), this is his first time to be included among the privileged roster of Pinoy Blog SOOperstar nominees!

I’ve always been mystified by that word: trust. The most enigmatic concept probably isn’t love but trust. And no matter how hard I crack my head how people trust me for who I am, I won’t decipher it. And everytime I felt suspicious on people, especially with the person whom I love, I think I should always look on how my mom established her trust on me… No matter how many times I failed her, I hurt her or took her for granted, she always trusted that I can do good, despite the shortcomings. And I always recall the day when mom and dad supported my decision to live on my own because they believe that I can finally stand up on my own.

But sometimes, I just feel that my knees are shaking so bad, I can’t stand tall the same manner I boast to them I can do things my way.

I will always look back at my first fifteen years of my life guarded through four corners of words and commandments. I despised the boredom of life back then. And when I finally got what I wanted, the freedom, I started questioning myself, which is better a life of cumulative pain or a life of pure comfort?

— from “Be Careful What You Whisper Because You Might Get It All”

It’s sad to note that only three bloggers from the Snacku Green Team were qualified, and only one rose up to the challenge…

Pardon My Croaks

A little blog from Cebu that can satisfy your geekiness.

Yes!!! That’s P680 million!!! I’m planning to appropriate the following amounts:

* P68 million for tithe;
* P200 million for travel and tour to all countries in the world;
* P1 million for Nanny’s treatment and life plan;
* P10 million each for Papa, Mama and Kuya;
* P1 million each for Duchess and Cotton;
* P20 for a new mansion;
* P10 million for the E-Youth (Education for Youth) Foundation;
* P1 million for friends, family and relatives;
* P10 million for setting up my own firm;
* P10 million for investing in a lucrative business;
* The rest (P328) for an estate account.

The wonders of technology. I never knew a spam mail could be this personalized.

— from “I just won $17 million”

The members of Orocan Blue Team are the most prolific bloggers last January, and with that it took forever for me to decide who should be nominated… And, finally, it was decided…

Project Manila

Contains a myriad of fantastic images. Rick Manzano has honed the visual artwork into colorful masterpieces.

— from “WeeWillDoodle at Temple Bar (Part 2 of 2)”

The Hanabishi Violet Team is another note-worthy group. Six bloggers were qualified and four of them battled out for just recognition. In the end, I chose two bloggers to become nominees…

The Quixotic Quest of Q The Conqueror

A forever dreamer of Chris Tiu, this “discreet guy” shares his skills on keeping it within one’s self.

They say that for every 10 guys, at least 1 or 2 are gay. However, I believe that is wrong. Those 1 or 2 gay guys are those already out. Add about 2 more guys in the closet, 2 more who are straight-curious, 2 more who are bisexual and we have the grand total of 2 guys who are truly straight. But then, that’s just for me. For those of us gays who are in the closet, maintaining this facade has become increasingly hard. When asked by those who know our sexuality why we steadfastly maintain this facade, the reasons we have are many: privacy – our sexuality is our own, family – I do not want them to know, comfortability – my closet is big and comfortable, I do not want to see the big scary world, and so on and so forth.

I am obviously, still in the closet, otherwise I’d probably be posting my picture here for the entire world to see and publicly declare ownership of this blog. But I don’t. I like my privacy and because of this, I sometimes go to elaborate measures to maintain this, as I’m sure a lot of you closets do to.

— from “Q’s Tips on Staying in the Closet”

Here’s Q The Conqueror’s fellow nominee from the Violet Team…

Underside

A second-time nomination for Niña, whose political views and movie reviews are worth the look.

I’ve told Salome time and again that if she’s not content with Elias (I say content because I think she likes the material things Damaso gives her and her family 24/7 although she admits that she loves Elias more) then break up with him. She’s being unfair plus she’s making a spare out of the two men in case one of them doesn’t go according to her wishes. Her parents are happy with Damaso and are giving their blessings to him even when they know she’s cheating on her official boyfriend.

How could anyone sleep so well at night when they know they’re hurting someone they ‘love’? Do we place comfort over our hearts for fear that we’ll live under an impoverished roof? How can parents stand back and watch this sort of deceit? This isn’t my problem but to tell you the truth, I’m the one having sleepless nights.

Being caught in between this situation has made me confirm that today, everyone is seeking, not only love and direction in a relationship, but financial stability as well. Money has widened it’s arms and penetrated even the most unwilling of its victims: the heart.

– from “Infidelity”

Due to a sorting “mix-up”, I was forced to create a temporary team–The Charmee Pink Team–but that does not mean their blogging talents are all but temporary. Once again, two blogger wrote outstanding content, and I don’t want to deprive one from the other of the nomination…

Life Funtastique

Drag life in Australia is never a drag for Jase, aka Gayzha aka Adrianna Lima-Cinco.

In August 2006, I wrote about the Paperdolls and that movie actually inspired me to pursue my desire to become a Drag Queen.

I just remember this today, and checked whether anything about that film is posted in youtube and I am soo lucky I found it. I want to share this with you….

Just remembering this film and what it is all about, makes me truly proud of being Filipino and Gay! We could be the poorest of the poor, third world nationals, but most of us, or if not all of us, have hearts of GOLD. And that is the most important thing in the world. Do you agree?

— “from “Manila Folder Girls…Paperdolls!”

Let’s also welcome her co-nominee…

Wifely Steps

It’s the second time Toni made in this honorable list, now with lovely home ideas and travel tips.

Throwzini’s Knife Block

For frustrated circus knife throwers everywhere. It even spins! Poor little red guy.

Nose Pencil Sharpener

The only time kids are allowed to pick noses in public. Warning: Sharpening pencils will trump doing homework. Then again anything trumps doing homework.

— from “10 Cute & Crazy Things for Your Home”

And finally, we have the Tide White Team, consisting of bloggers who join Pinoy Blog SOOperstar for the first time. Boy oh boy, all of them are good, but only one excel the rest…

Skeletons in My Closet

An in-depth personal blog of a flourishing aspiring screenwriter.

sa aking mundong ginagalawan, mas mahirap makahanap o makatagpo ng karelasyon. knowing the pihikan taste of filipino gay society and mga prejudice at discrimination sa mismong loob ng circle, mas lalong nakakalito, mas lalong lumalabo ang paningin ko ukol sa isang relasyon.

mahirap ang umibig at ibigin sa mundong aking ginagalawan. mas masakit humusga ang kapwang queer, bi, bakla, vadaf, silahis… kung ano mang tawag na iisa lang naman talaga ang kahulugan… lalaki ka na nagkakagusto sa kapwa lalaki.

mahirap umibig at ibigin sa mundong aking ginagalawan. kung saan puno ng pagkukunwari at mga ideal man na hinabi lang naman sa panaginip.

mahirap umibig at ibigin sa mundong aking ginagalawan. kung saan ang mukha ng relasyon ay walang mukha. walang hitsura puro ilusyon lang o dili kaya’y nakamaskara, inukit lang sa kapirasong tabla.

— from “ano ba ang mukha ng relasyon sa taong hindi pa nagkakarelasyon?”

There you have it! Ten diverse nominees for this month’s Pinoy Blog SOOperstar! Call on your blogging friends because voting is now open!

TO VOTE:

1) Leave a comment in this post and vote for TWO of your favorite blogs. Any vote containing more or less than two blogs are not counted.

2) Nominees have the option to vote, but only with another co-nominee since they automatically have a vote for self. If a nominee votes for two other blogs, the vote for self is revoked.

3) Deadline of voting is on February 27, 2007, at 11:59 p.m.

So don’t delay! Vote now and decide who should be this month’s Pinoy Blog Superstar!