The world of blogging that I know seems to be the opposite of my working environment. There are no walls and barriers. There are no set of policies and procedures to follow. There are no regulatory agencies to comply with. Bloggers are free to publish what they want. I believe that the absence of these restrictions create that unique and attractive character of blogging to me. 

I've been blogging since 2005. I started so many blogs in different platforms only to later let them fade away. At that time, I was only focused writing things about myself. It was simply an online diary  maintained by my very anonymous self. I was not yet oriented on reading other people's blogs.

When I revived my interest in blogging, all the irony started. I began to discover and read other blogs.   I suddenly became interested with photography, food, travel and all those hobbies I can never afford. I was inspired but the most compelling factor arose from my desire to earn additional money.  I discovered bloggers who turned the hobby to a full time profession. I was inspired by a group of bloggers who admitted that their day job earnings are set aside for savings and investment. Their blogs have become their main source of income. This became my vision for pursuing blogging again.

As I was beginning to relearn the world of blogging, I found other reasons to blog. One is gaining friends albeit online. I met a few here and one from Singapore. If I didn't pursue blogging and explored other blogs, my life would have been more monotonous and predictable. I would be limited to my everyday environment, work and home.

Reading and following other blogs gave me more insights and discover both the common and peculiar practices. Some inspired me while others unfortunately gave me disappointments. Let me identify the few I often encounter.

1. Sponsored Posts - I admit that I benefited from this opportunity for quite some time. Back when Bucks2Blog was still alive. I still get rare sponsored posts from Nuffnang. Rare as in once every year or two. I remember reading and following blogs that started publishing great articles. When these blogs became popular, the sponsored posts came in. While I have nothing against sponsored posts, I started to avoid some of these blogs because the sponsored posts overpowered the meaningful posts.  It felt like disliking my favourite restaurant that lost its taste on me. One funny experience I had with sponsored posts, I was initially surprised to see the same post existing in different blogs simultaneously. (Anyare? Nag-usap usap sila haha) Only to later learn that this might be a requirement of the sponsoring PR agency. 

2. Rants and disappointments - Everyone rants or expresses disappointments and frustrations. I include myself. However, I believe that this privilege has its own set of limitations. I encountered several bloggers who posted photos of other people without consent. Most stories dealt with poor customer service experiences. While the maltreated blogger / customer has all the right complain, I don't subscribe to the idea of publicly embarrassing other people. 

3. Using the blogger's popularity and credibility as an advantage weapon - Pet peeve! On the contrary, I know some popular and respected bloggers who remained humble and low key. I encountered a female food blogger who was offered a free meal in a restaurant. I overheard the female blogger courteously refusing the opportunity. 

4. Banner Ads - I have a few that are not really earning. Haha Apologies but I hate pop-up ads and those that suddenly cover the screen in the middle of a blog post. Eyesore! One very popular blog I know that refused to accept banner ads is Market Manila. I love that his blog remained clean and organised despite the popularity.

5. Blog Giveaways - I'm one of those who join blog giveaways especially if the prizes appeal to me. I'm blessed to win a few. My most memorable was from Papemelroti. While I always love joining giveaways, there are instances when I refuse to join. When the prizes are not useful for me, I cannot comply with the requirements and the most prevalent, I'm asked to do tons of online chores. (Sorry, ang tamad ko lang.) Like and share on Facebook, Like and follow on Instagram, tweet, follow and share, leave a comment, make a blog post, and that magical Miss Universe question.... why do you think you should win?

Okay, I think I'm becoming too talkative here. Haha I started writing this post a few weeks ago and I always end up revising everything. Last week, I was awakened by back stories and unwritten practices in the blogosphere. Some stories were disappointing and a few entertained me. Hahahaha Despite the negative stories and discouragements, I'm still firm in pursuing my blog. At this point, I'm loving my tiny space and the few friends I gained here.