A Whole Year Of Blogging And Counting

I can't believe that it's already been a year since I started my Trunk Locker. It feels like it was just yesterday.  Maybe you just tend to forget time when you enjoy doing something.  Now I can't  make up my mind what to do to celebrate my blog's anniversary.  I thought of giving away my picture with autograph but it's just too precious, just kidding (hahaha).  Or maybe post something spectacular and out of this world.  But since I can't decide what to do, I just rewarded myself a break and rest the whole day.  What could be better than that?

I'm proud of what Trunk Locker had accomplished and achieved so far:

• This is the 138th post of my blog.  Never thought I could write that much, but then again, there's just a lot of topics to write about.  Thanks to my wife, for her contributions and help to my blog. Love you.
• I have 447 and 593 friends in Google Friend Connect and Networkedblogs, respectively.  Thank you so much for following my blog guys, I'm truly honored and humbled at the same time.  Just want you guys to know that I truly appreciate it.
• Currently have a Google page rank of 2 and an Alexa rank of 567,447.  I really don't know how they come up with the ranking and how it works but for me, what really matters is being recognized and this feeling of fulfillment that there are actually people who are visiting my blog and reading my posts.
• Trunk Locker has 3 blogging awards. Wooh, not from a recognized award giving body, but heartily given by fellow bloggers and it is as well deeply appreciated.  Formal awards are for those who worked full time and dedicated in building their blog's name and reputation... but I'm not closing the doors for Trunk Locker, maybe someday (LOL)... there's nothing wrong to dream, right?
• And speaking of recognition, what an honor it is to be quoted on a foreign site:

“Ralph at Trunk Locker joins the chorus of bloggers appealing to everyone not to simply forward messages via SMS without taking time to check on the facts or veracity of the information:”- Pakistanvoices.com on Trunk Locker's post on Japan's 2011 earthquake.

• It was approved for Adsense and has earnings of $30.60, I don't expect to earn 4 digits in dollars in just one year. hahaha.  I just enjoyed seeing the advertisement in my blog, it felt more like it's worth something.
• Received a couple of paid posts offers from various review sites.
• I have a total pageviews of 24,387, as to this post.  It's not much but every single one of it mean much to me.
• Try searching "trunk locker" or "trunklocker" in google... I'm proud to say, my blog's first in the list.

I guess, that's just few of the many accomplishments I'm proud of my blog.  I started my blog to serve as a platform in giving valuable information to others, to give credit to Yahweh for all the blessings I received  in my life and to share my thoughts and insights about things happening around and my faith.  The money, fame, and achievements are just consolations, for me what really matters the most is the relationship you established with other people, on how you touch their lives as they touch yours.  I hope I had accomplished the latter the most in my blog.  To my wife, being my personal editor, with my children which serve as my inspiration... love you all.  To those who have read and visited my blog, my heartfelt gratitude.  And to our Lord, for nothing would be possible without Him.   Happy very 1st anniversary to my Trunk Locker.  Yahweh bless.

To Write Or Not To Write

It's almost a year now since I started blogging.  I'm actually thinking of what to write for my blog's very first anniversary.  Meanwhile, let me just share to you my thoughts about this newly found passion.  Blogging is somewhat similar to being an essay writer.  The only difference that I can think of is that a blogger can be informal in his writings and can write freestyle while an essay writer follows a specific format and rules in writing which makes it quite formal.  There can be a lot more differences, technically speaking, but one thing can't be denied, both love to write.

Though writing is easy once you've learned it but writing with thought and essence is far different and more difficult to others.  There are countless of reasons why but here are some common problems that even a writer encounters:

Just can't think of what to write.  Though others might be gifted to immediately put their ideas to writing, some people just have trouble starting to write.  Maybe because of  stress, mental block, distractions, personal problems, lack of focus, or they are just not into what they are doing.

Just so many things to do.  There are good writers but just too busy with their work or task and there are those who just prefer to do other things than writing.  Whether they want or need to write, either way, writing isn't their priority.

Just don't have the talent and skill to write.  Writing, especially formal, requires more than the ability to do it.  There are just people who write like Shakespeare and there are those who just know how to write their names.

And if everything fails, just copy something from the net.  A very big mistake commonly  made by a student without the exception of some writers is plagiarism.  Easily done, easily caught, both using the internet.  If you're having a problem making a term paper or an essay, why not ask a friend to do it for you or find someone in the essay writing service business.  It saves you the hassle of being caught from plagiarizing and more, you have yourself an original work.  But do yourself a favor, at least read the term paper or essay and familiarize yourself with it, so when someone asks you a question about it, you'll have an idea for an answer.

Makes me think, maybe someday I'll join an essay writing service, it's a good sideline and earn a few bucks.  But for now I'm contented with writing posts to my blog,  it does not only help me express my thoughts and share my experiences but also serves as a tool to spread my faith and the words of Yahweh to the whole world.  To those who love writing, just keep on writing great things... and for those who don't, just keep on doing things you do best. Yahweh bless.