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Here’s the second poem in Penstalker.com’s 30-day Poetry challenge
Nabuong ti Langit (Heaven is Broken)
Poetry # 1: Ditoy Laud (Here in the West)
Posted by Mighty on January 7th, 2010
The 30-Day Poetry Project
Posted by Mighty on January 7th, 2010
I’m doing a series of projects this 2010. Instead of regretting I don’t have much time writing poetry and fiction, I decided to conduct a series of 30-Day challenges where I pursue a project for thirty days straight! The first one would be writing poetry.
I finished BA Political Science from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. But that didn’t stop me from pursuing what was growing to be a love for literature. Before I graduated, I enrolled in a poetry class under Ms. Issy Reyes. If I remember it right, there were only about seven people in the class. I still have a copy of the three (real) poems I’ve written for the class. I wasn’t very happy with my output but hey I got a 1.5 grade. Not bad!
In 2005, I started joining the Ilokano Writers Association of Isabela (GUMIL Isabela), thanks to the invitation of Manong Rodel Ramos. Since then I translated most of my poems to Ilokano and I’ve written mostly in Ilokano. Heck, I think I have even forgotten how to write poetry in English!
This 30-day poetry project in January 2010 starts today, January 7, 2010. I will write one poem a day covering different, but interrelated, topics. These poems will be in Ilokano though. Yet, I will provide English translation for the readers of Penstalker.com.
Reading List for January 2010
Posted by Mighty on December 27th, 2009
1. Day Watch (Watch, Book 2)
2. Bituen ti Rosales by Juan S.P. Hidalgo Jr. Mr. Hidalgo, or Manong Johnny as we fondly call him, is one of the most influential persons in the Ilokano literary scene. This book of his, Bituen ti Rosales, is considered a classic by so many llokano writers and readers. I’ve already read a few stories. And I say that Manong Johnny is really a master of Ilokano literature.
3. Three Little Words on Life, on Love, on Laughs by Francis J. Kong. This book is full of anecdotes and stories that could encourage workers, bosses and business men and women to strive for excellence without sacrificing ethics and the quality of products or services. I’ve browsed a few essays. I’m looking forward to read more.
4. Road Trip by Ru dela Torre. Kitchie Nadal wrote the introduction for this book. Ru says that our lives are just like a journey with a lot of stumbling along the way. But we don’t need to travel without a guide and the light. This is a very “Christian” book. No holds barred Christian language and symbolism. He isn’t too heavy on the jargon though, if my browsing it is indicative of the whole book.
5. Sustainable Youth Ministry
6. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
This list might expand further. Depends on my mood, my finances and the books I accumulate in January. But I’m not planning to buy any new books. Maybe one new book a month isn’t so bad. But the idea is that I would read all the books in my collection. I probably have around 10-15 boxes full of books. I’ve read about half of them.
image credit: jvoves
Kannawidan Song for the Ilocos Sur Kannawidan Festival
Posted by Mighty on December 23rd, 2009
In preparation for the Kannawidan Festival on the last week of January 2010, the Ilocos Sur Governor commissioned a song to be produced, recorded and distributed to Ilocos Sur. The title of the song is Kannawidan, which comes from the Ilokano root word “tawid,” meaning tradition or culture.
The Kannawidan Ylocos festival is held every Jan 27-Feb 3 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur to celebrate the declaration of Ilocos Sur as a province, and aims to promote and preserve its culture and traditions.
Executive producer: Deogracias Victor Savellano
Produced by Ana Agabin
Composed and performed by Jephony Arizabal
Lyrics by Ariel Tabag, Ana Agabin, Jephony Arizabal, Mighty Rasing, Jerome Vaquilar
Recorded and mixed at Sound Creation Studio
Mixed and mastered by Hazel Pascua
Indigenous instrument tracks by Budeths Casinto
Arranged by Mike and Angelo Villegas
Published by Eccena Inc.
Here’s the song:
Here’s the lyrics:
Ohhhhh…
Kannawidan…. Kannawidan….
No kinapintas ti sapsapulem
Ilocos Sur pakakitaam
Tunggal paddek iti baldosa a dalan
Arimbangaw intayo mangngegan
Agaw-awis ti lagip ken pakasaritaan
Idiay Vigantayo agdadanggay
Dikan agtaktak agluganka’t kalesa
Agsubli ti napalabas
Biagentayo itan
Ilokano a kananakem
Agtutubo, maimatangam no asinoka?
Kannawidan sangsangkamaysatay a rambakan
Umaykan makipagragsak
Ditoy a maimatangam
Kultura a nabaknang
Tawid iti Kailokuan
Ilokano nga artista
Mabuyam iti zarzuela
Sonata, salsala,
Ay-ayam ken komedia
Sundin ang tugon ng kasaysayan
Dayo na tayo sa Vigan
Sabayan ang tugtog, sakay na sa kalesa
Babalik ang panahon
Muli nating buhayin
Ilokanong damdamin
Kabataan, nakikita mo kung sino ka?
Kilalanin ang iyong pinanggalingan
Kannawidan ay ating ipagdiwang
Sali na sa kasiyahan
Dito mo masisilayan
Yaman ng kulturang
Pamana ng kailokohan
Isu a ditay liplipatan ken di pulos baybay-an a mapukaw
Agtutubo, agriingkan ta intay agkaykaysa
Pasantaken dita panunot ken kaunggan
Kannawidan a kinabaknang
Agtutubo, maimatangam no asinoka?
Kannawidan sangsangkamaysatay a rambakan
Kabataan, nakikita mo kung sino ka?
Kannawidan ay ating ipagdiwang
Kannawidan sangsangkamaysatay a rambakan
Kannawidan ay ating ipagdiwang
Kannawidan
image credit: MarcoPolo.i.ph
Lessons Learned from a Year of Blogging
Posted by Mighty on December 21st, 2009
I’ve been blogging for more than a year now. It started out as a kind of writing repository for me. But when I realized I can make money out of my blogs, I decided to join the bandwagon and monetize my site.
The problem was, I veered away from my first love–that is, literature, reading and writing. I ended up pursuing other topics that could earn me money although I wasn’t passionate about them.
Blogging is difficult work. Sure it’s fun to write and get your thoughts out there in the World Wide Web. But if you really want a thriving blog that people keep visiting, you need to write a lot, preferably daily, you need to have good design, promote it a lot! Place some ads and monetize it. But believe me, it can take up up to twenty hours a week!
Writing good (or even great) content does not guarantee site visitors and subscribers. Some of my posts were great. A lot of them are generally good. But writing is just one-third of the blogging process. You still have to promote the blog, network with other bloggers, and do effective Search Engine Optimization.
Stick to your chosen niche/topic. If you’ve been following this blog, I started out as a kind of personal blog. I shifted to movies late last year till mid-2009. After realizing that I didn’t really have the money for movie tickets and enough connections in the entertainment industry for free screenings, I bolted out. It’s worth mentioning, too, that I really didn’t have spare time for watching movies weekly.
After that, I decided to write book reviews and some tips for lifestyle design and makeover, together with some literary, arts and culture stuff along the way. All in all, that wasn’t a very nice approach. It would be better to put up an entirely separate blog for each topic you wish to cover. I tried my hand at a personal development blog, a spam blog and some other blogs
Blogging can bring in extra income. Don’t expect it to replace your paycheck though, unless you really are a power-blogger making at least $X,XXX a month. Don’t even think of leaving your job (at least in the Philippine context), if you are just earning under $700 from your blog.
Build on your passion. So called internet marketing gurus and blogging superstars keep telling would-be bloggers to find their passion first before embarking on a blog. That’s so true. But it isn’t nearly enough. Blogging is actually a business model, a marketing channel, and even a means of distributing digital products. Passion is good. But a solid plan for how to use blog is extremely important to make the most out of it.
Spam blogging works. Have you ever came across blogs that exploited whatever’s popular for the day? These kinds of blog feed on search engine hot trends such as Google Trends. They even come in the form of breaking news blog. But really, all they offer are regurgitated content scraped from all over the Web. I should know. I have one. And I’m planning to shut it down completely by 2010. Or at least use it for something else.
It’s easy to figure out what doesn’t work. After a year of blogging, I can fill an entire book of what doesn’t work. Yet, it’s not so easy to spot what works. Ugh. If only blogging were easy, a lot of Filipinos would be millionaires by now.
Moving On.
For 2010, I’m planning to sustain just two blogs-this one and a leadership and social entrepreneurship blog I’m planning to launch by March 2010. Penstalker.com is currently under renovation. It’s gonna be more of a literary journal for short stories, poetry and other literary outputs from me and some of my friends. It will also feature some websites, resources and tips on writing. People will also learn more about Ilokano and Filipino culture through this blog.
It’s gonna be a return to basics for me–to what I’m really passionate about. Look at the new look of this blog, it’s even minimalist. I’m loving it!
I might have been a clueless blogger for 2008 and 2009. But then, I keep learning.
2010, here I come! 
image credit: kaptainkobold via Flickr
DBM Releases Budget Circular for Productivity Enhancement Incentive
Posted by Mighty on December 16th, 2009
Here’s an online copy of the DBM Budget Circular No. 2009-15 released on December 15, 2009. It provides guidelines for the Productivity Enhancement Incentive for government employees. Perhaps in appreciation of their service to the government. Whether such service is excellent or not, I leave it to you dear readers to judge.
Special thanks to my PUP Master in Communication classmate Igme for sharing this piece of document.
TO: Heads of Departments, Bureaus, Offices, and Agencies of the National Government, Including State Universities and Colleges
(SUCs), Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations (GOCCs), and Government Financial Institutions (GFIs); Chief Executives
of Local Government Units (LGUs); and All Others Concerned
SUBJECT: Guidelines on the Grant of the Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEl) for Fiscal Year 2009
A New Theme and a Minimalist Christmas
Posted by Mighty on December 14th, 2009
I’ve finally gotten a new theme and a minimalist one at that! I was inspired by the theme of Oscar at www.freestylemind.com. It’s sleek, clean, and very minimalist.
I also minimized the number of ads displayed at the home page. I will not put too many distracting ads from now on. It might affect my revenue stream so I might as well try out a new way of earning money online, like affiliate programs for example.
This Christmas season, I’m trying to get minimal. Less gifts. Less expenses. Less everything without sacrificing the meaning of Christmas for me, my fiancee, my parents and siblings. Yes, Christmas is a time for sharing and celebration. But I don’t really think it’s a time for pigging out and relentless spending.
Less is more! I do hope you enjoy the holiday season.
Meanwhile, expect for a better and bigger Penstalker.com for 2010.
Stripping Yourself for a Minimalist Lifestyle
Posted by Mighty on December 9th, 2009
Following my post on Less is More, I’ve been thinking harder about getting rid of the clutter I’ve accumulated over the 27 years of my existence on this planet. While I value the sentimental value and the memories that each possession gives me, I live a very mobile life in the city and we have moved from one house to another since I was very young. My father is an itinerant minister of a Protestant church in Northern Luzon, after all. So we were part of all the moving he had to do.
The minimalist lifestyle has a number of big benefits!
More space–for your efficiency and effectiveness. A hard drive with only a handful of MB left will run really slow. To optimize speed and computing power, your computer needs to have wide space for the processes it needs to calculate.
Less spending. When you live the minimalist lifestyle, you don’t need to buy a lot of things to show off to your friends. Less spending also means more money for your savings account.
Loving what you truly have. When you have a handful of possessions, you will recognize their value and love them for all that they’re worth. A single pair of shoes is worth more than a hundred pairs!
Being free from the tyranny of a consumerist and materialistic lifestyle. You don’t have to keep up with the “Joneses.” No need to worry about where to put your gazillion stuff.
From a clutter-full and stressful lifetyle, how do you make the move to a minimalist one?
Less is More!
Posted by Mighty on December 2nd, 2009
We keep running. We keep stepping up the pace. We keep acquiring things. Buying stuff that we think we need. Or at least we think we want. In our over-burdened schedules, we just seem to have a normal healthy lifestyle anymore.
We keep forgetting that Less is more! By being streamlined and focus, we achieve more, we pay attention to more details and we can enjoy life better. But that’s just me and some people do thrive in multi-tasking and in acquiring lots of stuff.
less is more!
Just some tips in ensuring a healthier lifestyle and a more streamlined approach:
Clean up your desk, your closet and your entire room. Pick up every single paper, pen, book and just about anything that you don’t actually need. Give them to someone. Donate old shirts and pants to charities. Or just throw them away.
“Do you really need this and that?” Like in the next year? If not, then give it up. Somebody else might need it better. If you can’t give it up. Then at least shelve it. Or put them in boxes where they won’t interfere with your usual schedule.
Pause before acquiring new things, be they books, CDs, appliances, or anything at all and ask yourself if you need it. If you truly need it. This is something I do a lot before buying anything. In a lot of cases, I ended up not buying anything because I didn’t feel that I need it.
With the world that’s so crazy with materialism, it’s a wonder how we manage our lives with so much clutter (and trash, too). Same thing with our time. We pursue so many activities that add up to our busyness that we rarely have the time to socialize with our neighbors and friends.
Let’s just try to always keep in mind: Less is More!
