Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Life as a Blogger 2021




Hello, 2021. How are ya? I know, I know, I haven't been writing much lately. I've been meaning to, but it's just been difficult to do so with all that's happening in the world. I remember when I first started this blog, it was just to post photos - one photo a day with short captions describing it. The photoblog then evolved to a personal blog where I would write about places I'd go with my family. Eventually, I started getting invited to review restaurants, hotels, and try out experiences like archery or nail spas, for free. Sometimes, I'd go with my boyfriend-now-husband, but most times, these establishments would hold blogger events. I got to meet a ton of like-minded people through this. They basically became part of my regular circle as we'd meet a few times a week to eat out and take pictures, but at the end of the day, we'd, of course, have to do the work required and sit down to think about what we liked about the restaurant, what we didn't, and come up with ways to help them improve. I'd often sit in front of my laptop for hours to write one single review. I'm no writer. Writing doesn't come as naturally to me as it does for others. I remember I would sit down in front of my laptop for hours thinking of ways to describe a dish and avoid just saying masarap or "it's delicious" 10 times in an article.

Writing made me little to no money, but I was at my happiest. It opened a lot of doors for me and introduced me to some of the best people I know today. I've grown so much from snapping away and drowning my photos in filters to investing in cameras and lenses and improving my craft. It all started because I enjoyed taking photos and up to this day, I still do. 
Would you believe I started writing when I was in college? I'm 32 now. THIRTY-TWO. That's just crazy to me. I didn't think I'd be doing this for such a long time. Now that I'm married and a mom already, I still blog. Even with the pandemic and the situation here in the Philippines, I still write. The main difference is that, I haven't gone out since it all started. 

I got pregnant in April 2020, a month into the chaos. Everyone was adjusting so we'd order in (at times, restaurants or home-based establishments would send food as well) and I'd curate the top 10 things I tried that month in a blog post. If there's something I miss though, it's the traveling. Blogging has opened up so many opportunities for me, from getting first taste at a newly opened restaurant to going on a five-day cruise with Star Cruises. For a time, I even got into vlogging!
Nowadays, I write about motherhood. I write about being a parent to a beautiful baby girl. I've been stuck at home since the pandemic, only going out for Hope's monthly checkups or to visit my parents. I think, with writing, you really just have to be true to yourself. Write what you feel like. Write for yourself. Don't think about how others will react to it. Don't write thinking people will read it. You don't have to write a certain way, it's your blog anyway. Write stories. Whether it be fictional or not. If there's something the past 2 years have made me realize, it's how important time is and that we can never really know what happens next. Chase your dreams while you still have time.
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