I didn’t always blog. I did it the old-fashioned way: I kept a diary. I started as early as high school. I don’t know what happened to that first diary, but I managed to maintain my diary-writing throughout the succeeding years. The earliest intact diary I still have with me was started in 1990, around the time when I was just starting my nightmare sophomore year as a Physics student at UPD. Here is an excerpt, quoted word for word and unedited, from an entry dated June 22, 1990:

“Classes in Manila are suspended! Though there is no storm signal raised for the area, the “damages” incurred due to the insistent downpour of rain – particularly the perennial flooding of most parts of Mmla (Metro Manila – my note) – forced DECS to to reconsider its earlier announcement/decision of holding classes today…

 

“…Again, as I look around the vicinity, I can’t help but wonder what those officials concerned are doing to help ameliorate this present situation. As far as I know, this flooding problem has always existed for the last 15 years. After such a long period of existence and bringing of damage and inconvenience to the Filipino people, they are still here, threatening to bring more. Whatever happened to those funds given by foreign countries, especially Japan, intending to aid us in solving this flood problem? Every year Metro Manila sinks in obscurity and disgust. The Filipino people stand helpless and unable to do something to make their habitat a place fit for human beings to thrive. Worse, those people in the higher seats who have all the power and authority to bring about change are the ones who don’t do anything at all.”

Amen to that! Even if that entry was written 17 years ago, the issue has remained unsolved. I used to live in a place near Malabon, the flood capital of Metro Manila, before transferring to Tondo. In both areas I experienced wading through dark, murky waters during the worst floods of the rainy season. To those who are still living in those areas, tell me, has anything changed since then? I seriously doubt it.

Anyway, this post isn’t really about the floods of Metro Manila. 🙂 Sure, I’ve changed medium, but one thing has essentially remained the same: I love writing down my thoughts. Diary-writing, blogging, even in whatever form it may evolve into in the future, I will always write.

Sonnie of Sonnie’s Porch once commented that he couldn’t really reconcile my work (doing science) to my love of blogging. I do think that there is a common misconception about scientists being a serious bunch of people – something that SexyMom hinted at when she interviewed me. That scientists don’t concern themselves with other things aside from what they do inside the lab. But scientists can be writers, too, can’t they? Chuck out the stats, traffic, monetizing and other networking frills and gimmicks, and you’re left with the essential core that justifies blogging’s existence: self-expression through writing. I particularly admire AnnaManila’s style of writing; as a true writer, she confesses to editing and reviewing her entry before posting it online. I do think we owe it to our readers to 1) check for misspellings and grammatical errors, 2) make a coherent post – otherwise, whatever it is that we’re trying to say becomes lost, and 3) avoid parroting what someone else has already said or written about the matter, without even bothering to put in what we really thought of it.

It’s a big, growing universe out there, this place we call the blogosphere. We would want to stake out a place that is truly our own, something that reflects our identities, aspirations, thoughts, dreams, and yes, ambitions. We would want to connect with real people, and communicate to them our thoughts.

Some people who lived before our time arrived and left with nary a ripple on the lives of other people living on the other side of the planet. But now – you and I are now in the realm of infinite possibilities. The blogosphere is exploding like a humongous universe that knows no bounds.

This blog – this is my voice in the blogosphere fugue. Not everyone will hear me, and not everyone will be interested in what I have to say (and certainly not even care what I had for lunch). I will not be the “greatest blogger” who ever lived. But years down the road, even when I am gone and all, people will still stumble upon this niche and hear the stories of one named “Kathy” and how she aspired to be heard.

And to those who care to listen now – I just want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart.