Gosh! This is so exciting. (deep breath) I’m actually posting my blogs in an official site. I’m a writer, blogster (if there’s such a word), and part of the PEP family.
Excited ako! OA ako! Aaliw ako! Mababaw ako! Honored ako at the same time kinakabahan ako. All emotions rolled in one human anatomy. Can you actually visualize how I look as I type this blog?
Certainly not this way. Napakakalmado niyang picture na iyan. Parang may stiffneck pa nga ako diyan.
This is the closest to how I look and feel.
Why? It’s a long story how I came to experience this multitude of emotions. Let me share to all of you how all these things started.
After the Princess Sarah presscon, held last November 8, Pilar Mateo and I had a little chat over coffee, and there, I simply asked how to be a blogger in PEP. Well, she did tell me to submit my blogs before, but I never took it seriously. That innocent question of mine was responded with a quick action of Pilarsky’s fingers, fast motions on her mobile keypads. This was followed by an incoming message for Pilarsky. Then she told me: “Okay daw. Sulat ka sa PEP…yung mga blogs mo.”
Candy: Huh? Anong isusulat ko?
Pilarsky: Blogs nga. Gusto mo ba, ayaw mo? Kasi meron ka ng deadline next week. Please, also think of a title for your blog site. I need it asap.
Candy: Okay…
Thought bubble. Title? Ano kaya ang maganda? I need a title that’s very me, interesting, common but catchy, and should be the umbrella of the blogs to be written. Ngek?! Ano nga kaya? Are blogs written in English or Filipino? How’s my English grammar, which I haven’t been applying in print because of the SMS technology? Wait a minute, why dwell on the grammar at this point when I still don’t have a title to begin with?
The title. The name. The headline is of so much importance because it symbolizes the persona af the blogger. Names. Names. Names. Even in Starbucks after ordering your coffee, the server asks for your name.
Consensus. I started texting friends from different walks of life, stature, beliefs, opinions, etc. to get a consensus. My SMS was: “What’s a nice title for my blogspace for PEP? It will tackle life, experiences, concepts, opinions, views like all blogs. My options are Candidly yours, Piece of Candy, Iba’t ibang Candy, Assorted Candy, How Candy’s Be, I Candiva, Kinendi ni Candy, Candiliver, iCandy…Kaw? Meron ka bang napili or suggestion? Let me know.
Sending…Message sent…
Beepbeep…beepbeep…beepbeep…beepbeep..beepbeep…beepbeep..beepbeep..beepbeep…
Oh, my! I forgot I have creative and opinionated friends. Aside from my title studies, they even came up with interesting suggestions. Arriving at a descision became more complicated.
Revelations. On the other hand, I noticed that the names they picked also mirrored how they perceive me as a person. It also revealed their hearts as well. (Naks! Lalim ba?) That’s the truth…truly, from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaketh.
ANDOY RANAY(Director): Candylicious, Simply candy (Napaka-contrasting naman ng options.)
CARMINA VILLARROEL: Candeliver and How Candy’s Be? (Carmina is a very outward person, a giver.)
PETER SERRANO (Theater actor): Must try candy, Candy’s store, Candy-ninated (Mmm…parang pinilit.)
OLEN: Supercandyfragilisticexpialidoshus (Am I that complicated? Or maybe I talk too fast.)
PENNY TUVIERA: Candeny (She just wants to make sure I don’t get into trouble by being too candid.)
Candid! Yes, That was on top of the List. Candidly yours, followed by How Candy’s be. On third place is Kinendi ni Candy.
There were some who chose Assorted Candy. I like that. Versatility comes with the name. A singer suggested a song she remembered, “Oh Candida…” Ah, eh, ate, parang di ko nga alam ang tono niyan, eh.
A documentary director suggested Pagbilan ng Candy, Bilog ang Candy, Hati tayo sa Candy. Makabayan, makahulugan, makata at mahirap naman lagyan ng simpleng laman ang title na iyan.
The techy-people chose iCandy. The people, who knows what I’ve been through and, perhaps, they themselves are going through a lot of crossroads and have questions that are still unanswered, chose How Candy’s Be.
There’s no wrong or right answer. It’s subjective. I’d rather not put the other titles suggested because they’re not really very wholesome. Saka hahaba itong blog na ito, masyado kasing ang dami talaga.
Maybe it’s just me. Am I complicating things? Maybe it’s just me. Sorry. Ako na nga ang humingi ng tulong, ji-nudge ko pa sila.
Ka-level lang ng experience na ito nung unang lumabas ang Nokia phones. In the phonebook, there were categories like personal, friends, colleagues, VIP, and others. Different ringing tones could even be assigned. I was so into it, wanting to categorize everyone in my phonebook. I remember spending a week contemplating (and juggling people’s names in my phonebook) on whether they’re friends or colleagues, or others. Wow! That was some task. The funny part was that there people who could be under several categories. Sometimes he/she is a friend and sometimes a colleague. In the end, I upgraded the model of my unit and never categorized people in my phonebook.
Meaning, ‘di naman pala magka-level ang experience. Categorizing and seeing one’s heart is different. Tama ba ako?
Ka-level pala nito yung nag-iisip ako ng pangalan para sa anak ko. I also did a consensus for my sons’ name. The options were Enoch (God’s favorite), Quentin (a martyr who died for his faith and also a well-known director), and Mayor (para kahit sa’n siya pumunta sasabihin ng tao, “Nandyan si Mayor.” Enoch won, but my mom has a friend, whose name is Enoch and he’s a womanizer, so she vehemently told me not to choose that. (Deep breath) Sayang naman ang effort ko sa pagtatanong.
Going back. What’s in a name? A lot. The Christian elders believe that what your name suggests is who you become. I didn’t believe that before. Most of the girls I knew in school had Maria in their names but they weren’t really nice. Well, maybe because they were using their second name.
Come to think of it, all the Manny that I know is rich in a certain way (material, spiritual, mental). Manny sounds like money. Manny Pacquiao, for instance, is materially rich and his last name is Pacquiao (Pakyaw) so he has it all.
Really Going Back. I have written a whole blog about this title search. Frankly, I have more to say about this name game and yet I still don’t have a title. What’s going to be the title of my blog? Let’s trim down the options to the top 3: Candidly, How candy’s be, Kinendi ni Candy.
Excuse me, I hear my son crying, I’ll be back after 1 hour and 42 minutes.
I can’t just start blogging without a title to umbrella my thoughts, the same way I can’t just call my son “anak.”
By the power vested in me in doing this census, I, Candy Pangilinan, of legal age, declare Candidly as the title of my blog due to time pressure and highest number of votes garnered.
….Ah…Eh…Madali naman ako kausap, baka naman gusto mo bumoto sa top 3 lang ha para di ako mahirapan.
…well ya see I’ve lived here in Hollywood for ssso long got acclimated to american humor the likes of Margaret Cho, she’s belly belly gud! Ellen Degenneres, she cracks me up! Rosie ODonnel, when she’s bad she’s at her best! Whoopi Goldberg, a legend! etc and the new Sarah Silverman …OMG she’s totally fresh and hilarious! …ssso can you feel melting already? 