What You Don't Know

Yes, I now officially run my own publication. It’s nothing prestigious, but I am pleased to call it my own. I am not talking about a new broadsheet circulating in town. That’s way too much for a college student who only relies on her daily school allowance for wardrobe budget. I am talking about what you’re seeing on screen right now—an unfussy blog entitled Exist and Squiggle.

Coming up with this online journal isn’t as quick as a finger’s snap. Planning its entire vision is as challenging as deciding on what to wear for an awaited ball. I knew I had to bring into being something that you would not only click then navigate away from.

Generating ideas for postings is indeed consuming. There are a lot of elements I have to bear in mind such as my blog’s generation of your interest, grammar rules and content, as well as codes of ethics of writers. Unlike in school where I have teachers to approve which of my works pass, in self-publication, I basically have myself to assess whether or not my work makes the cut; and believe me, such task needs a lot of thinking.

In managing this blog, I have to try to be in your stilettos and not in mine alone. I don’t just wake up and ask myself what I should write about; but also, what you would want to read. This is the part I've always found most challenging. With so many new blogs starting every day, it takes a lot of effort for me to build my own readership. As a blogger for an online teen magazine, I aim to compose postings that would be your voice; hence, I work hard to be able to achieve my blog’s goal, that is, that we connect and grow together into fierce women in society.

I don’t just confine myself to this publication. I too, explore other blogs in niches related to mine. I don’t copy them of course. Instead, I take inspiration from these blogs but produce mine into something that will still clutch on to my own identity. Keeping up with news stories related to my topic is a challenge as well. Since I aim targeting young maidens, I have to update myself every now and then of the latest buzzes and incorporate them into my personal experiences. I don’t want to bore you with the narration of my life since the day I started saying the words ‘mama’ and ‘dada’ because this blog is not just about me; it’s about us, and as what they say, entertaining people and keeping them thrilled with your company takes a great amount of wit and personality.

Lastly, running an online publication does not only require me to toil with words and writings. I also, have to live up with the challenge of becoming computer literate, not necessarily a techie though. Every chance I get, I perform the responsibility of researching and orienting myself with online applications that would improve my blog’s presentation but I must say I am still a work in progress at that.

Truly, in most cases, it takes a long time to succeed as a blogger—no one is an overnight success. I don’t aim for my blog’s popularity anyway. As long as I get to inspire, I am okay.

XOXO,
♥Andi Dandi♥

Breathing, Living, Laughing Jewels

Walking along the midst of life’s rewards and adversities has helped me learn countless lessons that shaped my distinctiveness. Among the realizations I have come to grasp, one of the most frustrating is that out of the billions of people in this vast, titanic world, not many prove to be true friends.

You see, the year 2008 was one with disappointments from trusting the wrong people. Though I welcome the new year as a stronger person, I must say I have built a thick metal fence around me that I refuse to let anyone new enter. Looking at the betrayals I’ve been punctured with, you really can’t charge me for the way I’m reacting; but that’s a whole different entry.

People came and went but I am more than proud to say two have remained.

Having my girls in my life is more than just a ride in a sleek silver Bentley Continental GT Sports Car at a red light on Beverley Hill’s Sunset Boulevard. They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but Hanna and Ana are more than any other multi-million dollar possession in the world.

We just quite started with the “Hi-Hello Sisterhood Sequel” that built up into weeklong bonding sessions. Pardon me for the cliché, but yes, fate did bring us together. There’s never a dull moment with my lasses because we always have a limitless supply of crazy ideas. Not the least bit do we fear stepping out of the box because we’re open to trying all things new and exciting together—be it an exotic cuisine or an out-of-this-planet fad. We, under no circumstances, run out of things to talk about for we can spend all day babbling about everything under the stars. We’ve practically mastered each other’s dreams, aspirations, dilemmas and unfathomable secrets that even none of our family members knew.

Yes we’re inseperable, and together we’re invincible. Many have tried to take us down but none have succeeded. Entertaining detractors is such a waste of time so as much as possible, we try to get on with our lives despite the green-eyed games that people play. We have accepted the reality that there will always be those who will love us and those who would wish nothing but our misery. Whatever the weather, we remain to be our real selves and they either take it, or they leave it.

I know my best friends are not perfect; after all, what makes us human is our imperfection. In spite of that, I unquestionably believe that they’ll always be my friends—not perfect but real.

Gems like them give me the reassurance that during my happiest times and lowest points, someone is there to hold my hand and tell me that everything’s going to be alright. They’re my sounding board whenever I get into fights with anyone in my family. There are times when they’d say the right words to make me feel better, and there are also those when they wouldn’t convey a single sound but still make me feel at ease. They’re the people I want to be stuck with in the car during an appalling traffic jam because when things don’t come out right, they come right in. They’re in my corner when I’m cornered; they turn me up when I get turned down. Most of all, they make me realize that having a true friend is almost like having an extra life!

XOXO,
♥Andi Dandi♥