My Internet Lifestyle

It’s the season once more for the third Philippine Blog Awards. Nominations are now open for deserving blogs for the different categories. One distinct difference this year is the addition of a couple more categories, and some regional awards as well. Nomination is open from July 8 until August 13, 2009 at 11:59 PM Manila time.

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Popularity: 27% [?]

It’s time one more to pick the top ten emerging influential blogs among the thousands in the blogosphere. There’s really too many to choose from, and it’s just too hard to pick just ten. Nonetheless, here’s a start of my top ten list for Janette Toral’s Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs for 2009 Writing Project:

[EDIT] Completed my list, just in time!

1. Hay! Men! Ang blog ng tunay na lalake – this very new blog just sprouted out of nowhere, and everybody’s talking about it. You can’t get any more influential than this.
2. Pinoy Cravings – Melo started this blog because he wanted to separate the food posts from his travel blog. He’s been very diligent about keeping it updated, and it’s now one of the top ranking food blogs in the Philippines.
3. Magnetic-rose.net – I may be biased in nominating my friend Rotch, but her blog really do live up to her tagline: Japanese Pop Culture for Filipino Fans. She’s very passionate about all things Japan (she studied there, and went back to the country several times for both business and personal visits). She regularly attends cons in the Philippines and overseas, and as deep love for toys, Japanese culture and BL.
4. Good Times Manila – another new discovery that has me laughing too much. The diary excerpts from Rustom and Carmina’s last days of married life is too precious.
5. Happy Foodies – travel and food certainly go together, and a food blog is certainly the next step for these two travel writers and photographers. Ferdz and Oggie tantalizes us with mouth watering photos of delectable cuisines from their travels and places around the metro.
6. Let’s Go Sago – this little bear is certainly going places! You’re sure to find Jonel and Sago in one of the many blogger events, and if they’re not present, they’re on the road traveling. I can’t exactly finish off my list without putting one travel blog in it, can I?
7. New Media Philippines – because Carlo Ople had the guts to write about the white elephant in the room. Heh.
8. Video Chop – anything and everything you need to know about video blogging. Award-winning vlogger Coy Caballes shares his secrets to making great video blogs.
9. Cebu Bloggers – what better way to promote a city and a province than to write about it? The Davaoeños have done it, and this time, it’s the Cebuano’s turn.
10. Patay Gutom – because being patay gutom is the in thing this year.

This year’s writing project is sponsored by Absolute Traders, My Brute Cheats, Business Summaries, Fitness Advantage Club, Events and Corporate Video, Events at Work, Dominguez Marketing Communications, Red Mobile and Blog4Reviews.com

Popularity: 52% [?]

Last year, there was a hullaballoo about our own Carlo Ocab, the 13-year old who’s behind a successful Make Money Online blog. Now, younger kids are getting into blogging, and this is no “dear Diary” type of blogging — it’s the kind of blogging that gets the attention of the media and even US President-elect, Barack Obama.

First, there’s Tavi, a 12-year old fashionista who seems to have found her own sense of style at a very young age. Her clothes are quite daring — certainly not the kind of clothes most of us would be willing to mix and match. Blogging at tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com, she has caught the attention of fashionistas all over the world.

Even younger still is Stanislaw “Stas” Gunkel, a 7-year old from Chicago blogging about politics. With both parents as academics, there’s no surprise that young Stas has learned about politics at such a young age. In his blog, he talked about the 2008 US Presidential election, which got the attention of President Barack Obama, who sent him a letter, commending his efforts and interests. In his letter, President Obama gave him three advice on living (which I think applies to everyone):

I leave you with three bits of advice that will make your life more fulfilling: Look out for other people, even when it does not directly benefit you; strive to make a difference everywhere you go; and get back up every time you are knocked down.

Source: Planet Stas

Popularity: 19% [?]

Yes, a plant is blogging. Where else but in Japan

Midori-san started blogging about a week ago. So far, the plant’s highly structured posts summarize the day’s weather, temperature and lighting conditions, describe its overall physical condition, tell how much light it received via the user-activated lamp (see below), and explain how much fun the day was. Each post also includes a self-portrait photo and a plant-themed pun (in Japanese), which Midori-san likely did not write. A graph at the top of the sidebar shows the plant’s surface potential in real-time.

Judging from the blog content and the numerous “thank yous” below the fold of each post, Midori-san seems to really appreciate every chance it gets to photosynthesize.

Source: Pink Tentacle

You can even participate and show Midori your love by turning on a web-activated flourescent light using this widget:

Plants… blogging. What next?

Popularity: 18% [?]

I was Stumbling one evening when I Stumbled upon Taste Spotting.

Founded on the idea that we eat first with our eyes, TasteSpotting is our obsessive, compulsive collection of eye-catching images that link to something deliciously interesting on the other side. Think of TasteSpotting as a highly visual potluck of recipes, references, experiences, stories, articles, products, and anything else that inspires exquisite taste.

Source: Taste Spotting

And highly visual it is. Rows upon rows of beautiful photographs of delectable dishes that are guaranteed to have you drooling before you even reach the halfway point. It’s a great way to showcase food photos, as well as the recipes, restaurants and stories behind the picture.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to find something to munch on.

Popularity: 1% [?]