The Genesis of the Exile

A good 11 months ago, my concept of blogging was totally different from the idea of blogging i know today. Back then, blogging was more of diary writing. I knew nobody would read my entires because the concept of sharing my ideas was practically non-existent. Moreover, the blogging platform I was using was designed to be read only by a selected few who had access to my site.

But one fateful afternoon in the heart of the Ortigas Center, I was introduced to a new blogging platform. This one, more technologically advanced, more user-friendly, more appealing as a whole. It was my first hello to I.PH. I.PH changed everything. It introduced a new culture of writing to me. My writings are now for public viewing. The existing community was eager to know more about its new member. My posts became conversational. It was meant to be read by others.

I have to admit, this required a little of of an adjustment phase on my part. I was so used to write and post privately that the very idea of bursting out of my tiny blogging bubble was overwhelming. (Well not really but there was an adjustment phase that i had to overcome) I adapted a new writing style: its tone arrogant and egocentric. one that would hopefully elicit a few smiles (and probably some frowns) to those patient enough to read my entries. An alter ego was born. It was then when I started to write to share my ideas. While more often than not, the accounts in my entries are highly fictionalized, I was quite surprised that a lot appreciated my work. My ideas were welcomed. My two cents were accepted warmly.

For a few months, i enjoyed the attention my blog was getting. It wasn't much (compared to the top Filipino bloggers i know) but I was happy that I had quality readers. (Many thanks to the I.PH community) Many would post their comments and reactions and I would reply with my usual bravado. It was bliss. Visitors go as far as the Americas, enjoy considerably significant popularity in Europe (surprisingly a lot from Iceland) and fare very well in Asia. That goes without saying that the bulk of the traffic comes from local readers and the rest of the South East Asian neighbors.

My blogging stint also had its downs. There came a point when i grew tired of blogging. It was mostly due to certain events that transpired in my personal life. Writing was still a passion but the whole idea of having to maintain a standard to keep the readers satisfied was starting to become a drag. The posts had to be laced with humor and self-degradation in order to satisfy the ever so hungry readers. I started to worry that the alter ego was the only identity readers would associate me with. I thought I lost my humor. But i couldn't let go of writing.

But just like the previous stimuli, certain events in my personal life also led me back to writing enthusiastically. My worries abated. I began writing with my usual tone and bravado. Everything was ok again. My relationship with my blog has never been better.

When i look back at my posts, I saw how I developed not only in writing but also as a person as well. My posts when i was starting out with this whole blogging thing were more or less "out of tune" and to say the least, corny. The topics were boring. The grammar was more often than not, shaky. And the tone was sometimes, out of line. Some posts enjoyed significant popularity. Some were better off posted private. Looking at the bigger picture, The Exile of a Superstar was in fact a child's work. It was my first attempt at blogging. It was something a toddler would do in kindergarten, full of irregularities and crooked shapes. And later on show it off to everybody as if it was the greatest piece of art the world would ever witness. There is a huge field for improvement that I am looking forward to fill. This being said, I believe it is about time i move up to Grade 1.

The second phase will still be a learning progress. Probably a couple or more mistakes would come my way. Turbulence is part of life. But hey, this blogging thing is one of those stuff that you call a "learning experience" right? I'm just glad I have someone like you patient enough to read up until this part of this really long and boring entry. Thank you for your support. Remind me to treat you out for coffee, should one day we meet and greet. I hope you will enjoy the second installment of this site, Wits version 2.0: The Invasion as much as I will enjoy making it. Let's make this site awesome together.