Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Kids say the darndest things

I was going through my Facebook photos showing my kids what I looked like BEFORE I had them. This photo made the boys sit up. "Mama, click it, click it!" So I did.

Vito: Wow, Mama. Is that you?

Me: (very pleased at the awe in his voice) Yes, this was after I married Papa.

Vito: Woah. You're bigger now! Big bigger now!

Kainis.


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Monday, May 19, 2014

Pahinga muna sa sponsored posts with this message

Now that I'm a full-time blogger, people ask me all the time how to get featured on my blogs, Topaz Horizon and Topaz Mommy. I'm lucky to have regular sponsored posts coming my way. If it were not for them, I won't be able to enjoy my current status of earning while being with my kids 24/7. Anyway, I welcome sponsored posts and, though I'm not pa-importante, I do have some criteria:

I'm mapili with brands I work with. The brand must be something I use or believe in, for starters. I'm okay with posting announcements and press releases and doing event coverage for free as long as the brand is aligned with my blogs and who I am (and if I have no kwento haha kasi ngayon na nasa bahay na ako palagi, it's not like my life is SO EXCITING!).

Helping promote Pampers sound sleep campaign

But if hindi ko type ang tono ng email, I say no. If the email starts with "Dear blogger/mom blogger/webmaster" and "To whom it may concern," I say no. If demanding si brand/PR ("Tell your readers to like/follow us, use all these hashtags and keywords, we want X number of posts plus social media campaign") at ang daming pinapagawa tapos "Thanks!" lang ang kapalit, I say no. I write well and I do spend time and effort, plus blogging time means time away from my kids so I do expect to be compensated. But that doesn't mean mukhang pera ako. For example, I can't resist small businesses, especially if they're run by mommies of small kids. Kahit walang bayad ang Ni-QUA and Elin sa akin, because natuwa ako sa mommy at sa business nila, game ako. Yes, even if I don't even use the product just as long as I believe in it, I support mompreneurs! Well, not ALL mompreneurs but basta bottom line pa rin is if I don't use/like/believe in the brand, it's really a no.

Being makulit with fellow Sangobion brand ambassador Cheska Garcia-Kramer

You know, I wish I could say yes to every proposal sent my way. If I did, mayaman na siguro ako. Kung pera lang ang criterion talaga, go lang nang go! But sa lagay, hindi pa rin ganon kalaki ang kita ko from blogging dahil feel na feel ko yang integrity ko!

I've heard that my being mapili has been misconstrued. You know, I'd rather be called a snob than be accused of compromising my integrity. Kasi in the end, my blogs reflect who I am and if it comes out na snob ako, well, kung ganyan kayo mag-isip eh di ganyan kayo mag-isip. Okay lang, kasi may pagka-maarte naman talaga ako minsan haha. Pero hindi ako fake at hindi ako sinungaling. Itaga niyo sa bato yan.

A video I did for NIVEA Baby's CSR efforts to help Fabella Hospital

Blogs are so tricky. Nung nasa magazines ako, tanggap lang nang tanggap kasi pera yun para sa company. So kahit na hindi bagay ang toilet cleaner and fungus medication sa glamorous Hollywood magazine, okay lang, i-feature asap! But blogs are an extension of the blogger. I seriously believe no amount of money should buy a blogger's integrity.

But I also won't judge bloggers who do it for the money. Hindi ko ever ma-gets yung mga blogger diyan na kung maka-judge ng mga bloggers who earn from their blogs, akala mo they poop gold dahil hindi raw for sale ang opinions nila. Well, good for you. Some of us need to make money, you know. We have bills to pay, mouths to feed. My opinion is never for sale, either. Nakahanap lang ako ng paraan para kumita ng pera in a clean and decent way. So to each his own. I live and let live and enjoy blogging!

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Friday, May 16, 2014

I wrote the cover story for this month's HOLA!

I want to plug this only because someone asked me recently, "So you don't do any work now at all?"

She looked really disappointed in me, too. Heehee. So I said, "Yeah. I don't do any work at all. I'm living the donya life!"

That is kinda true. I don't see my blogs as work. The writing I do for my blogs' partners is just so easy, I can't believe it sometimes. It's like being paid to eat candy! I'm grateful this is my life. I can be with my husband and kids full time and not be afraid of the future. But once in a while, I say yes to real writing jobs and this one is my favorite. Why? Because I love Duchess Kate!


For more on Kate, other chi-chi mommies, and the luxe lifestyle, grab this month's issue of HOLA! magazine!

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