Influential

Before I started this blog, I just only thought of blogging as a form of an online journal where one can write and tell a story about his weekend getaway into some beach, how many pairs of shoes she keeps in her closet, the tragedy of being dumped by a girlfriend or describe how delicious the food she ate at last night in her 18th birthday with pictures to go by.

But in the course of a life long learning everybody partakes, I realized that blogging is very much more than that.

I see and read a lot of blogs taking a life on its own. It has the power that move and inspire people. It connects people from across the world. A not so long ago, it is quite impossible for someone living in London to know something about the Philippines that is likely to see print on any book or magazine, or broadcast in radio and television.

Blogging has become an institution in itself. And to put it more aptly, blogs are as influential as the conventional media to everyone hooked to the internet.

In about 1 hour preceding the time this post is published, the effort to acknowledge the top 10 emerging blogs of 2007 will be closed. This project was created by the Digital Filipino lady, Janette Toral to honor blogs that are recently making an impact, thus, influential.

I would like to pitch in my own version of influential blogs that, in one way and another, have continually drawn me a smile, thought of an idea, made me excited, inspired me do things not for my benefit but for others, made me hungry, pushed me to love photography, and basically, influenced me the way I see the world.

Julia in the Philippines
I know she's dead, but Julia's blog keeps her alive. As of this writing, her last post entitled Buhay Pa Tayo, has already 324 comments, most of them are words of felicitations and thank you. The legacy she left us all Filipinos is truly amazing and inspiring. She volunteered for the peace corps and has helped a lot of our countrymen which I think cannot be rewarded by any amount money, power or fame.

Inner Sanctum
I first saw Gerry's blog, when Ely Buendia was on the brink of succumbing to heart burns. Since then, I've been reading his posts, rants and thoughts about the world and beyond, which I think are witty, funny, sometimes weird but generally not-your-ordinary kind of writings for a guy who works for the advertising industry. I think he don't like Orange and Lemons and other cover bands who don't have a talent to write original songs and lyrics.

Flickers Photo Club
This is the blog where a group professional, amateur and hobbyists photographers called Flickers Photo Club put their best photos on a weekly basis. And through the extraordinary and all thumbs up photos can described how active the group members are, in terms of camaraderie and helping each other develop their skills through friendly photo-shoots and similar activities.

Inverse tutuldok
My office desk used to stand right in front of this man. He is still a co-worker but the title can be reworked into co-writer because he writes to his heart's content. Edong, a co-engineer never fails to put a funny line in his essays that would definitely put your gums out and exposed. A family man who loves to spend quality time with his wife and two daughters.

Pukaykay
Another co-engineer. The good thing about blogging is that you will have the chance to explore a blogger's mind through thoughts written on posts. And Jamie Jean is one of a kind blogger who muses about her niece, her friends particularly those who have left in search for greener pastures and her upcoming wedding. Probably the best thing she shares to her readers is that she blogs about having a life.

Margauxlicious
I usually find her in the pages of SIM (sunday inquirer magazine) telling where the best food in town can be found. And when she announced her blog to the world, it was packaged in a simple template but elegantly composed of essays about eating.

Iniibig Ko Ang Pilipinas
We have a sitting president with a questionable mandate. Nurses, doctors are leaving for abroad in search for better lives, causing the brain drain. These and among other issues concerning the Filipinos are the subjects of this blog. I don't know the name of the person behind it and only described himself as Pinoy in his About Me page. But he is one of the few who still believes that the Philippines and the Filipino can change for the common good. I think the title of his blog was taken from the second line of Panatang Makabayan.

This is my list of emerging influential blogs for 2007.