Angel Cuala just told me that he had already gotten a copy of the Manila Bulletin. I don’t have any links to provide you guys. But the print copy is already out today. So, to those of you who are interested, you can grab a copy of the Manila Bulletin at any newsstand in the Philippines. I have not seen a copy of what’s printed Pusa just emailed me a copy, it’s below. So, what I am posting is the unedited version of the interview. Here’s goes. Kumapit. Medyo mahangin to kahit wala tayo sa Chicago. Hahaha!
- Please tell us a little background about how and when you started to blog. Why did you choose the name Reyna Elena?
- What do you like about blogging as an activity? What do you think is the best thing about it?
- What advice can you give other bloggers? How do you pass the line from being an obscure blogger to being a famous one?
- Your thoughts on blogging for therapy and blogging for monetary rewards. Would you rather have blogging fame, or blogging fortune?
- What are the blogging rules and principles you live by?
- How about your online/blogging habits?
- Your plan for your blog?
- Can you give me an idea of the traffic you get? Seems awesome. Also the profile of your readers.
Call me Reynz. I?m Filipino and American too. Born and raised in Bicol. I finished my undergrad in Legazpi City, went to George Washington University in Washington, DC and finished my MBA at Temple University in Philadelphia. A CPA by profession, my work background is public accounting and investments. I lived in Manila for about 11 months in 2005 then went back to the United States. Three days after arriving from the Philippines, I would be at the operating table of the Jefferson University Hospital for a laparascopic surgery. Stayed 2 weeks at the hospital until my doctor told me to resume ?normal activities?. He had no idea what ?normal activity? was for me hehe! After a night of beers and wines with my friends, I was back in the hospital. I would be released after 2 weeks and drinking was deleted from my normal activities. I was home alone. Recovering. That?s when I discovered blogging.
I started blogging in early 2006 on www.ofwcenter.com. I was writing a lot of articles on small businesses and entrepreneurial articles that were of interest to overseas pinoys. My idea was to cater to OFW?s who wanted to go back home and start a business. Until I met Leo of Entrepinoys. I found out that we had a similar concept except that he was doing a much better job. I decided to spun off www.ofwcenter.com and created a personal blog. My friends in Manila would be the ones who?d throw ?Reyna Elena? as the name because of one joke I made about romping as Reyna Elena in Bicol. My friends thought I was going to do it for real, they were shocked. The name stucked. Given that I belong to the third kind, I thought the name was perfect, considering that we?re labeled as ?queens?.
Blogging is a way for me to release my thoughts, ideas and opinions on just about anything and share it to the world, right or wrong. Blogging not only gave me the opportunity to be my own writer and editor, but empowered me and practically allowed me to create my own personal media on the internet.
The best thing about blogging is social networking. I call it, ?social climbing?. I?ve met some of the most wonderful people in my blog. I?ve gained a lot more friends and I do feel ?close? to these people. I can?t imagine myself having friends from as far away as Europe, the Middle East or anywhere else without my blog. Second, you not only gain friends and network but you are also able to enjoy their talents as shown from their blogs.
In business, you take care of your customers. In blogging, it?s your readers. ?Social climb? with every visitor that comes to your site. You never know who knocks on your door, so offer the red carpet first, dead rat if he?s a terrorist. Respond to each and every comment ? positive or negative. Never ignore anyone. It will annoy them and they won?t come back. Study your readers. Who are they? What are they looking for? Do more. Visit their blogs and actually read one or two of their entries and leave a meaningful comment. Create your own style, your own drama to make you unique and stand out from the crowd.
But as a blogger, you need to be yourself. Blog about something that you have a passion with and something that represents who you are. Don?t try to act like someone that you are not, because you?re only good for one or a few entries. After that, the real you will show.
Don?t start with any advocacy if you or people around you are dysfunctional, because what?s obvious will be obvious. You must clean your house before you start cleaning somebody else?s. When you have that passion to write and talk about something close to your heart, you don?t even have to be a writer. Everything will just flow through once you start to blog. People will notice and your readers will see that in you and will like you even more. You don?t even have to exert any extra effort to be famous. You will just become one.
The interactivity in blogging creates a sense of community. You get to interact with virtual people and build virtual relationships with real emotions, feelings and camaraderie. The sense of belongingness that is created in turn creates the therapy that one need in times of depressing moments, stressful moments or even joyful occasions. That?s why this so-called ?EB? is exciting because it humanizes the virtualness of that character you met online.
Would I rather have blogging fame than fortune? I would love to have both. If not, I would love to have fortune and use it to have fame. Or I could opt to have fame and use it to make a fortune. Toss a coin! Haha!
I follow my web host rules. There are not much rules in my house other than the standard rules that you?d expect from everyone else. I don?t block anyone unless you?re a scammer and spammer. I expect nothing when I feature blogs full of talents, worthy of distinction or those that really make me laugh. I don?t allow bigotry, people advocating violence, pornography links, commercial messages or even personal attacks by naming people in my blog. The only profanity allowed in my blog is my own. People can comment all they want on my blog. It?s difficult to decide what?s offensive or viciously immoral to one person because it may be perfectly acceptable to another, so I rely on my gut judgment and reasonable interpretations at which time I decide to delete such comments. I am one very approachable person in real life. Very friendly. That?s what I wanted to show in my blog. Not martial law.
When I sit on the computer, I have my daily reads just to be abreast and be current of what?s going on in the world and in Manila. Then, I would religiously respond to each and every comment left on my blog. Then, I work on my blog entry. My readers are already used to and are expecting a blog entry from me every day. If I miss, I get concerned emails asking if I am shutting down! But writing blog articles to me are not regulated. By that I mean, that they don?t come when I sit on my computer. Rather, they come sporadically at any place where I could be or at any time. Therefore, you?d find me writing blog articles on the plane, on the train, in a restaurant or in the park. If I could write while driving, I would.
My blog is a personal blog. If you see sponsored posts in between, it?s because I wanted my blog to pay for itself. Other than continue writing about life?s dysfunctionalities and anything else that is of interest to me and my readers, I plan to continue writing, simply because I love and enjoy doing it. If I make people laugh, even better. Will it be a stepping stone to something bigger, brighter and more meaningful? I hope it will because the more visitors I get, the more expensive it is to maintain Reyna Elena.
On an average day, a very high 80% number of my readers are from the Philippines. 20% are overseas, but I would say that 90% of that are still Filipinos. I just have a lot of readers who are OFW?s and Overseas Pinoys. But, generally, Reyna Elena readers are college graduates and professionals. I get inundated by college students and MBA students who frequent all of my business and economy articles. I get a kick when I?d find out that they have PhD?s. I am also frequented by people looking for jobs, finding tips on investments and real estate in Manila. I have more female readers than male. Interestingly, I have very, very few gay readers. Mostly are straight, which I do find weird.
For the Manila Bulletin Online link, here it is: Interview with the Blogosphere’s Reyna Elena.
Credits: The title “Interview with the Vampire!” was stolen from Angel Cuala’s email to me. Hahaha!
Courtesy of Pusang Maganda. Here’s the pdf copy.
Many, many thanks to Annalyn Jusay for the interview. She begged me to answer in few sentences. Ah-ah! Not when you talked to Reyna Elena who’s suffering from serious ADS at ADD hahaha! Nevah! Kaya one question, ang sagot is one chapter. Ganun. Na-trauma ata si Annalyn saken! Hehehe!
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I’m so proud of my uncle!
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wala lng nakakatuwa basahin mga blog mo kapag wla akong magawa na sa desk ko hehe.. naging instant update ako sa world economy :p mei ganon..
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REYNA ELENA FEVERRRRRRRRRR!!!!! pa otograp naman jan lol
flanganaaaa ang mga answers. di baleng walang trabaho at least kumikinang ka naman day sa publicity lol, dapat ka na yatang ihanay sa mga celebrity bloggers. so proud of you kunichiwaaaaa!
chuvaness’s last blog post..Puerto Galera Invasion
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Ang ganda-ganda ng interview mo reynz. Parang interview sa Oprah!
I really like your advice to fellow bloggers…tama ka, a blogger should be real in his/her blog… and yes…blogging should also be a passion to show one’s personality…
Snow’s last blog post..Miss Philippines is Miss Earth 2008
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I think I am familiar with the title. Di ga yan ang joke ko sayo sa email ko? Anyway, it was really interesting to read. Takbo agad mrs ko sa bilihan ng dyaryo kahit di pa nagsusuklay e.
It’s nice to be famous by inspiring others, rather than anything else. Keep it up!
Angel Cuala’s last blog post..How to avoid your Subscribers to Unsubscribe to your Blog
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Ekkkk! hahaha! walang hingian nang regalo hahaha!
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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thank you munge for visiting! hinay baka ma-fire hehe
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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Otorgrap ko is now paid opps. $50 per word. Reyna Elena, 2 words. $100. U like???
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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Hahaha many thanks Snow! Mahirap magkunwari Snow! Sinubukan ko na, ilang beses ko nang ginawag barako ako sa blog, parating pumapalpak hahaha
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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hoyyyy hinde ko pa nakakalimutan yung ginawa mo. quits na tayo sa laptop ha. pag sinabing top secret.top secret. hinde yung binubulgar, tapos kino-confirm. grrrrr.
chuvaness’s last blog post..Puerto Galera Invasion
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Tinanggal ko yan sa mga advice ko sa bloggers – ang magnakaw nang idea nang iba at angkinin na parang aken HAHAHAHA!!! mas masaya kasi yong sinabi mong ?Interview with the Vampire? hahaha
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kaya nga isa ka sa gusto ko eh. kasi, hindi ka pretentious pero promise dati natatakot akong mag-comment dito kasi akala ko, suplada ka…kaya hayun lurker lang ako…
hindi ka ganun pala reynz, mabait ka pala talaga.
Snow’s last blog post..Miss Philippines is Miss Earth 2008
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hak hak hak! teka ano ba ung top secret? me secret ba tayo? kala ko ba public knowledge lahat yun! halller! me susunod akong interview ateng! tabloid! hahaha
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ow?! bakit? me punyal bang nakasukbit saken at takot ka? hahaha! mas lalo kamo akong mabait pag me bitbit kang panregalong boylets hehehe
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naks! ang lupet! kelan din kaya ako madyaryo, o kahit tabloid lang
kulot’s last blog post..Desert Trial
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congratz!!! you did well…
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Woohooo grabe ibang level talaga napaka sosyal taas ang kamay ko pati na paa at my kasama pang saludo,da best ka talaga, karapat dapat kang tawaging reyna.
Congrats at mabuhay ka mahal na Reyna!
(sayang di ako makabili ng copy waaa).
lee’s last blog post..Sana Pwede kong Sabihin kay Boss na…
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hindi dati lang talaga…hehehe…
Snow’s last blog post..Miss Philippines is Miss Earth 2008
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hi renz, aha, naisahan mo ako!!! i bought manila bulletine (i seldom buy newspapers because i can read them for free online)only to find out that i’ll read the interview in its entirety sans editing in your column.
congratulations on being featured again(!!!) on a national daily.
sue’s last blog post..my christmas wish list
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gusto ko sana sya kontrahin, kaya lang wag na lang, hahaha!
roni’s last blog post..My first high-rise.
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am so double tripol proud of my reyna elena — pwede humingi ng cosmo subscription, hahaha
kengkay’s last blog post..pan-de-salan ni kengkay
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Grabeh ang galing po ninyo. Kailan kaya masusundan iyang interview ninyo sa diyaryo. Baka po sa susunod ay sa mga higanteng network na kayo mainterview. Congratulations po.
Colegialagirl’s last blog post..Senate at Last for Bolante? (House of Representatives Gustong ring Makisawsaw?)
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eeekkk! kaya pala nag world peace ang ortigas at nawala ka na pala dun! hahaha! tagal mong nawala kulot! ingat sa lugar na yan, iwanan ang gunting, yun eh panggupit at di pangtuli hahaha baka kasi kung ano na namang kakuletan ang gawen mo dyan haha salamat!
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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salamat ateng! hahaha~!
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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lee! meron daw nag-paparent nang kopya! hahaha! thank you!
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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hahaha pansinnin mo yong 1st paragraph sa printed copy, misleading, medyo di ako naintindihan ni annalyn, me sickness daw ako, taz ikompare mo sa sinulat ko here. hahaha
anyway thank you ateng!!
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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CG! hahaha salamat! di ko na na-pik-ap ang Bulate Case este Bolante dahil sa My Obama namen! Saka na ako makikisawsaw hahaha!
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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@roni, ngek hahaha saan kokontrahin? me bawang ako! hahaha! nakasabit! hehehe
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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hahaha, dagdagan mo ng parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme para swerte, wag kalimutan ang asin!
roni’s last blog post..My first high-rise.
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hehehe! wag! mapapagkamalan akong indian! anoto curry?! hahaha
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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hahaha.nice interview. naalala ko tuloy yung dating playtime section ng sunday inquirer. dun kse no holds barred ang pag-interview. walang censored. hihi. pero dito enjoy pa rin ang interview mo.
antuken’s last blog post..NDE
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Congrats sa interview Reynz, ang galing ng mga sagot mo, anong panama ng mga beauty contestants sa Q&A portions! I was about to ask the ‘recovering from a certain illness’ buti nilagay mo dito yung unedited version, nasagot na tanong ko, you underwent laparascopic surgery pala.
Pinabili ko yung sister ko ng MB kanina, sabi ko makalimutan nyang umuwi wag lang yung MB copy haha!
Amor’s last blog post..New WordPress Theme for Sibale Online
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chona, naging abno ata ako dun sa NDE mo hahaha! anyway thank you ateng! dadagdagan ko pa nga sana nang mga uncensored hehehe
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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Amor,
shocked nga ako nung nabasa ko yong certain illness hahaha! mali lang siguro intindi ni Annalyn dahil late na sa publishing hahaha
but hey, kala ko nga unwanted teen-age pregnancy yong operation ko hehehe
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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haha… natawa naman ako sa ‘unwanted teen-age pregnancy yong operation’…. bakit ka pala nagpa Laparoscopy, nagka problema ka ba sa abdomen o sa ‘ovary’ mo?
Amor’s last blog post..New WordPress Theme for Sibale Online
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sa ovary ata buti indi naging ectopic pregnancy hahaha
sa manila pa lang ako nun, i remember, dalwang beses sumaket ang tyan ko at iba ang saken. taz nawala naman. buti kamo di ako inabot sa manila, else baka kung anong klaseng hiwa ang inabot ko sa ospital.
appendix yung muntik nang pumutok saken. kala ko bahay bata. hahaha
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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ahaha ganun?e san naman yung nagpaparent na yun?dito kamo ko sa China pa rent naman soli ko din kagad (after a month)hahaha
lee’s last blog post..Sana Pwede kong Sabihin kay Boss na…
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libre na seyo Kengs basta me kapalit na German hehe
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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Hi mahal na reyna, talagang showbiz na ang arrive mo, very informative naman ang interview mo, full of talent ka talaga kamahalan, kapuso, kapamilya, kabisyo rin, best regards and take care. an2nette
an2nette’s last blog post..Quezon City Tour
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gawin bang small bizness hahaha i remember many years ago me mga readers ako sa Israel, binebenta pala ang mga biz articles ko hehehe andyan sa archives hahaha taz di ko alam kung hindi sa isang reader na nag-email saken hahaha
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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ateng! check mo ang comment ko dun sa cedula mo! hahaha! dali! importante yunnnnn!!! hahaha!
thank you! marami pa akong talent! an dami talaga! hahaha! lalo na pag medyo bangag nang konti tapos gwapo katabi? talented na talented ako hehehe!
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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bravo!!! pang world class ka talaga, ang galeeeng galeeeng! masyadong glittering ang iyong korona. hindi ka na ma-reach!!!!
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bebe! hahaha! pwede pa namang ma-reach di ba? bibili ka lang sa home depot nang hagdan – yung ginagamet nang mga roofers hahaha
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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Wow! Bonggacious! Pang-Miss Universe ang mga sagot! Di ka na tlaga ma-reach Reynz.. Idol..To the highest level na ang social climbing mo.
Reesie’s last blog post..Happy 29th Month
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Reesie! sana magkatotoo dahil an tagal ko nang nakatayong miss kamoteng kahoy ni walang magkagusto nang trophy ko at ngalay na ngalay na po akoo hahaha!
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“I have more female readers than male. Interestingly, I have very, very few gay readers. Mostly are straight, which I do find weird.”
are you sure they’re straight baka straight lang lumakad. lam mo naman marami pang nasa closet, nilalanghap langhap pa nila yong moth balls or cedar balls
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tsk! tsk! tsk!
~nilabas abacus~
~ni-review kalkaleyshuns~
~~~~~
hmmm…. tama ka nga~! majority are female. lahat kasi nakabestida hehehe di ko tuloy alam kung sino ang sino! leche! hahahaa!
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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tumpak reesie, tinalo pa ng ating reyna ang kapapanalong miss earth 2008. bonggagious talaga! ^_^
Snow’s last blog post..Poll: George W. Bush More Unpopular Than Nixon
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gawa ka ng box for us to check
___ straight male ____straight female ____ LGBT
____ happy always _____?????? still contemplating
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hak hak hak! alam nyo bang pinapaniwalaan ko tong mga sinasabi nyo? hahaha!
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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di pede. mga kebigan ko. puro pantasyadora. di ko alam kung straight male sila ngayon o straight female. minsan naman pag bangag puro contemplating. hahaha di pede!
reynz’s last blog post..Interview with the Vampire!
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oh sige always check ko na lang sa always happy kasi ayoko ng mag-isip,
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naks! galeng naman. Sayang di ako nakabili ng newspaper kahapon.
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Ang galing mo naman pare, saludo talaga ako sayo. Sana mana sa iyo tong ina-anak mo. Istariray ka na talaga,mabangung-mabango ka na talaga, amuy na amuy kita dito sa Canada!
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bumalik ka na? sana ok ka lang dyan! hehe
reynz’s last blog post..Obama is no friend to the Philippines?
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hey pareng bot!
wag mong pagmanahin ang anak mo saken, gusto mo bang nakapalda yung isa dyan? hahaha! siwik ka lang kung me barkada kang mababangong lalaki hane? hehehe
reynz’s last blog post..Obama is no friend to the Philippines?
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Reynz, ok ang interview mo, at mas lalong ok ang mga payo mo kung paano i-improve ang personal blog. Matagal na akong bisita sa blog mo, pero ngayon lang nakapag-comment. I like the variety of yuor articles, although may ibang mga terms na talagang hindi ko maintindihan at first, but I try to understand them through research and context clues, hehehehe! Medyo slow kasi ako minsan, hehehehe!
Good luck sa future ng blog mo. And congratulations for making it really big!
echo’s last blog post..Ako?y Isang Pinoy
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daaaay hinde ako magtataka kung one of these days eh interbyuhin ka ng RATED K ni Korina Sanchez!!!! weeeeeh!!! naku sana naman eh i-greet mo kami para maambunan naman kami ng kahit konting traffic LOL
chuvaness’s last blog post..The Life of Imelda Marcos and Her Shoes
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Galing talaga…! di ba nawindang ang kataohan ng nag inteview? isang tanong… sampung sagot ang ginawa..heheheh
Congratz…
adz’s last blog post..New Look!
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reynz,
pagupit mo, tapos ipalaminate mo, hang mo sa office o sa living room o kaya dalhin mo palagi kasama ng diploma mo. HAHAHAHA
The Ca t’s last blog post..Advertising 101
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sureness! hahaaha intayin ko lang ang printed copy, kaso pag uwi ko malalaman ko na namang hanggang tinapa lang naman ang inabot ko! HAHAHA
reynz’s last blog post..Obama is no friend to the Philippines?
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nag-makaawa nga ako na pati sa classified ads ilagay ako pwera sa obitwari hahaha
reynz’s last blog post..Obama is no friend to the Philippines?
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hakhakhak ano naman yung Rated K? sureness! kahit anong itanong! sasagutin ko hehehe! personal man o TOP SECRET hahahaha
reynz’s last blog post..Obama is no friend to the Philippines?
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hehehe pasensya na sa lenggawahe ko hahaha mage-getz mo na rin yan pag parati ka here! maraming salamnat really sa pagdaan esp pag nag iiwan nang footprints! haha
reynz’s last blog post..Obama is no friend to the Philippines?
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ano yun? give up? hahah! actually sana me software o kaya parang yong black box nang comcast cable hahaha di ba?
reynz’s last blog post..Obama is no friend to the Philippines?
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salamat reynz, na honorable mention na naman ako!
Leo’s last blog post..How To Recycle Old Light Bulb into Useful Craft (Video)
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Leo,
kaya dapat libre na ang isang linggo sa resort na tinayo mo hahaha! wala ka nang magawa, part ka na nang history nang reyna hehehe
reynz’s last blog post..Obama is no friend to the Philippines?
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RE, dami ng naimbento sa Silicon Valley pero yan pang detect ng where is your real happiness, palagay ko aabutin pa ng another milleneum
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sure ba! dadalhin kita sa nabili kong munting kabukiran dito lang sa bulacan, hopefully matuloy yung project kong fishpond para pagbakasyon mo ulit sa pinas e mamimingwit tayo! hehe
Leo’s last blog post..How To Recycle Old Light Bulb into Useful Craft (Video)
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yeah, it sounded like you got ill
sue’s last blog post..my christmas wish list
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sureness yan Leo! grabe ka! wala na talagang tigil ang great internet dream na to! sana ako rin! hahaha
reynz’s last blog post..Sure na ba kayo? About Quezon del sur?
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magaling, magaling, magaling!kaya keri na ang hangin!
more power to you! at sana ay maambunan naman kami ng iyong galing sa blogging!
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touchfulness naman ako sa first time visitor ko, went to your blog, maganda at hehehe gwapo si husby hehehe sana hinarbat mo na rin ako nang isa thank you for visiting!
reynz’s last blog post..?Makati ngayon, Pilipinas bukas?: Jejomar Binay
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