My niece Kate (an avid reader like me) asked me to spread the word about this event. As I am an advocate of reading, I enjoin you to read, go to the event and spread the word.

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Ex Libris UP is the official affiliate of the university to the RoDCon. We sell the tickets at the same rates as Powerbooks (Php100 for children and students, Php150 for the rest) but with friendlier service. =) Text Kate at 0917-628-7886 or Yas at 09209018675.

Plus it goes to a good cause: http://www.essaycompetition.org/docs/2006/EC06_Francisco.pdf

Do you want to know one of the most worthwhile investments of your time?

Reading.

Yes. But you don’t read or dislike reading, you say? You don’t have time? You don’t know what to read?

Try this:

1. Take at least 30 minutes of your TV-watching time (a really unproductive endeavor)
2. Devote it to reading something that interests you, whether it’s a book, magazine, paper or e-book. It may be about cars, cooking, travel, humor, technology, parenting or self-development.
3. Do this consistently for 30 days.

After 30 days, you would have developed the habit of reading.

What else would you get from reading? Aside from the entertainment value, it will make you better informed, more knowledgeable, expand your vocabulary, broaden your perspective, enhance your imagination, and a lot of other good things. many experts say that if you read for at least 30 minutes a day, after 5 years of reading, you would have accumulated knowledge equivalent to a college degree.

Reading is lifelong learning. If you don’t learn, that would be like not living at all.

So, read or wither…

Note: This is entirely my doing and no malice is intended, whether assumed, direct or any other way you’d like to look at it. If you do not agree, you can leave a comment here and give me your reason why and most of all a better alternative. Or you can also give out your own awards. After all, it’s free, and that’s what blogging really is.

Thatgirlwasme.com – funniest blog, especially her Manang and Cupcake entries

Youwillbeforever.blogspot.com – most curious blog title

Noemi – Special Award for being the Nanay of Pinoy Blogging

Technobiography and the-parody - longest hiatus

ReviewMe – the $30-dollar post that most of us haven’t encashed yet and may probably be the last (hint: I want a review request!)

All those who have attended blogmeets - The traffic that Blogmeet bring award

MabutingBalita.net - I have not thought of a witty award for my other blog, but it would be nice if you can link to it and give it a lot of traffic =) And do this for MagandangBalita.com too.

Rico and Sasha –the most teased bloggers after the BlogCon

Link baiter of the year – still up for grabs.. care to nominate anybody?

Best post of the year – Jun Asis interviews Bo Sanchez =) (I’m shameless!)

Person Every Pinoy Blogger (who has Adsense) Want to Meet – Aileen Apollo (btw, where is your blog?)
BernieJ – quirkiest tech posts (though he got his Adsense check already)

Abe – Most sought after blogger

Sacha – random emacs and best idea on advertising for laptops award

Migz – blogger who got tired of his old blog and now sports a fresh clean look

Jayvee - the blogger is also a good son awards

J. Angelo - “cutest” pic of a blogger

I have a lot of other awards to “give” but I have to rest. It’s no fun to blog when you have a bad case of the sniffles. Feel free to comment in your own awards.

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Updates:

Daragang-Magayon.com - Special “Light” Award

Codamon.com - Gaming Award

Karla - The Blogger Who is Quiet During Meetups Award

Insightful Personhood - Lots-of-Lessons Award

Aldrin and Rich - Most likely to turn probloggers/join a blog network  soon

Based on personal observations, here are my fearless forecasts for 2007 regarding the Philippine blogging scene.
1. More Filipino bloggers will go pro.

Last year, Filipino bloggers notably had their names on the radar of the blogging world. We have Abe, J. Angelo, Jayvee, Gloria, Kiven, Rico, Noel and a couple of other bloggers who are benefiting (getting paid to write about what they like) from the increase in interest on blogs worldwide. There are more out there unknown to us and are quietly sipping their champagne or coffee while their blogs do the work for them.1

We are a country blessed with creative and gifted writers who can weave words to soothe your soul, to make you feel their pain, to imagine how they think and laugh at their antics. I am even willing to bet that Sorsi will try her hand on this. I would like Nikki, Juned, Retz, Aldrin and maybe even Noemi to join a network or two (or maybe they have joined one already, who knows?).

2. Institutions accepting blogs as a new medium.

More companies will see the buzz that blogs create. The advertising and marketing industry would probably be the early adopters - so they can prove that blogs work.

3. Blogs as news.

It only takes a couple of scoops for people to treat blogging as the new media seriously. Going from personal journals and tech talks, we will see how bloggers will be great news sources. With each Filipino probably related to a celebrity, politician or businessman (or know somebody who is close to one), leaks and exclusives will no longer be just the turf of the tri-media (mainstream) reporter. Advocacies and those with time on their hands and passion in their hearts for their craft/interest will create a stir in the local media.

4. Schools to use blogs as communication and educational tools.

So far, I know many parents, school orgs and classes use email and text messaging extensively when communicating. I assume some teachers have used blogs (and the internet) as part of their lessons and students blog about school and their personal experiences but on a limited scale. This year, as blogs continue to proliferate, some creative and forward-looking schools. teachers and students will use blogging to enhance the educational experience. Collaboration among different schools might also be possible.

5. Blog Collaborations

Bloggers who write along similar themes will band together… With blog meets and talks (on blogging) becoming more prevalent, groups will begin to emerge.. loosely at first… and then becoming more formal and standardized. Themes that are generally youth-oriented, such as anime, sports, tech and music, will most likely become the triggers for such collaboration. This might be somthing like the webrings of old, only this time, each member can contribute to the common blogsite and still maintaining their own blogs.
6. Blog Awards.

For bloggers by bloggers – not commecialized. Okay, if nobody does this, I will do my own. My own rules. My own awards such as Most Head-splitting Post or Unlikeliest Topic or Best entry in under 30 words … heck, we can all create our own awards… That’s it! I’ll start them now: Of Blogs and Bloggers Awards

7. Other Bloggy Thoughts

• Lobbying through blogs. Shaping of popular opinion, influence and watching of government.
• More inspirational bloggers ala Bo Sanchez and MabutingBalita.net . (I hope you visit MabutingBalita.net – shameless plug)
• Politicians to use blogs as platforms. Some, like my high school classmate Alvin Fernandez and Peter Lavina have theirs. But in order for this to work, the people behind the blogs should listen and not antagonize. They may disagree with other people’s views and must be tolerant of spammers and those who are just out to get their goats. After all, the main purpose of their blog should be to continuous conversation.