Just thought I’ll just do a quick thank you post on these —
After sharing some of the Manila Bloggers’ Mixer stories from the blogosphere, here’s my own take on the event that happened last 30th of November 2007 at Kape Isla (in Serendra).
The Philippine-themed cafe was closed for the evening’s event. There was the gorgeous chocolate fountain centre piece, plenty of desserts and light food - and coffee. No wonder the event lasted from 7 pm to midnight (some even went off to a nearby club to extend the fun; I was too tired to go drinking with the young ones. ;-)).
There was an abundance of chatter, laughter, notes-sharing, and all sorts of geeky fun (like ogling over Juned’s Asus Eee PC mini laptop, doing live web cam coverages, checking out each other’s gadgets, and paparazzi-like photo taking sessions, among others). There were goodies to be shared - beauty goods from Style Manila and Sophie, art goodies from Studio S, b5media schwag, and blogging related books.
Oh, did I say that I REALLY had a fantastic time meeting this vibrant group of bloggers based in Manila?
And yes, thanks to Annalyn Jusay of Manila Bulletin, there was a fab press coverage of the event (and b5media) on the 3rd December issue of one of Manila’s largest newspapers via the Blog-O-Rama column -
If you want to read the article online, it’s archived at Manila Bulletin Online - A blogger mixer in Manila with Shai Coggins of b5media
Here’s a shout-out (and another massive thank you) to all the guests for the evening -
There were also a handful of non-bloggers who stopped by the event, to see friends and family. So, they were exposed to the world of blogger get-togethers. 
And, of course, a big big thanks again to the two folks who helped me organise the event: Sasha Manuel and Rico Mossessgeld.
Hopefully, this is only the first of many blogging get-togethers.
From the photo collage:
1. Kape Isla: Reserved for the Mixer, 2. The Chocolate Fountain, 3. Annalyn, Azrael, & Myself, 4. With RG, 5. With Noemi, 6. Mark, Renzie, & RG (with me), 7. With Eugene & Juned, 8. With Annalyn from Manila Bulletin, 9. With Azrael & RG, 10. During The Raffle, 11. Jonas, 12. Paparazzi, 13. Fun with Gorgeous Bloggers from Manila, 14. The Beautiful Bloggers from Manila, 15. Sonnie & Son, 16. Talking Beauty!, 17. Mike, Jayvee, Marc, Rico & Me, 18. Blurred with the Looks! 
, 19. With Toni & Noemi, 20. Another One with Toni & Noemi
*NOTE: Yes, this is the last you’ll hear of this event. Regular blog programming will resume shortly.
| Announcements / News, Blogging & Bloggers, Personal Stories, Press Mentions | 5 Comments
If you made it here via WOW! Women on Writing, thank you and welcome. Thanks for finding your way here. I hope you’ll find something here that will delight you. Do say howdy via comments. I’d love to hear from you!
If you don’t know what I’m talking about… Do check out the November issue of WOW! (this month’s issue is mostly about literary agents and writing). You can read my interview with the fabulous Angela Miyuki Mackintosh in their Inspiration Column: Meet Shai Coggins.
I really enjoyed this interview. I like the fact that it covered a lot of aspects of my life right now - and at the same time, gave some insights on how I got here and where I want to go someday.
Anyway, do head over to WOW! They have a fantastic ezine for folks interested in writing, reading and publishing. And, seriously, I’m not just saying that because they interviewed me.
In fact, they have featured amazing folks like author Amy Tan (one of my faves!), Ann Moore (CEO, Time, Inc.), Tiffani Amber Thiessen (aspiring writer/actress that I feel strangely connected with for some reason), and Debbie Ridpath Ohi (a blogger/illustrator/author that I really, really admire), among many others. So, you can imagine why I’m sooo thrilled to be a part of WOW!
Another list I’m excited to be a part of is the Top 50 Australian Women Bloggers list - for Just Make Money Online (currently in Top 10) and ShaiCoggins.com (currently in Top 25). A big thanks to Leigh from All for Women for putting this together. And, congrats to everyone who made it to the list. It’s a great way to get to know many fabulous Aussie-based women bloggers. I already recognise a few names there - and it’s cool to discover new ones.
So, there ya go.
Excuse me as I do a little happy dance today.
| Arts, Crafts and Creativity, Blogging & Bloggers, Press Mentions | 6 Comments
It’s been a while since I last participated in the Illustration Friday (IF) project. In fact, looking at my old doodles I realised that it has been over a year since I last sent a doodle. Ergh.
Anyway, when I checked last Friday’s theme - “Emergency” - the first image that came to mind was a literal interpretation (an ambulance or a fire engine). But, last night, as I went to bed doing some practice doodles, a different story came to mind. And, that chook came in to picture. I just went with it. And had fun.
I really, really like the idea of creating doodles with a story in mind.
I still have a lot to learn when it comes to illustrating. Especially using digital tools. I mean, I have the general idea of how to work with ‘traditional’ tools like pen, paint, pencils, markers, etc. But, working with digital tools still feel a bit awkward. Yeah, I’ve been trying to master this media for a while. But, I know that I haven’t really given it a lot of time and practice. Ah, well. At least I’m enjoying the process. I just hope to keep getting better.
In any case, here’s my process with this IF doodle: First, I used pen and paper to draw the idea. Then, I scanned it in. Once I had the scanned image, I launched ArtRage2 and used the trace function to help me transfer and re-work the doodle using my Wacom tablet. Then, I launched Adobe Photoshop Essentials 2 to “colour it in” and add the text.
Since I already have your attention, I thought I might as well share with you my latest interview: An Interview with Shai Coggins of b5media by Steve Remington of Skinny Moose Media. It’s been some time since I granted an interview. The piece talks about professional blogging and the general state of weblogs. Thanks again, Steve!
Technorati Tags: digital art, doodles, emergency, illustration friday, interviews, skinny moose media
As I mentioned in this blog entry, I was interviewed by a journalist* from SBS Radio Filipino (Australia) early February of this year.
Anyway, apparently, the first part of the interview aired last 13th March 2007 in the business and finance section of the radio show. It’s basically where Kristyn just asked me about some basic dos and don’ts of starting and running an online business. Nothing fancy or earth shattering there. Except, maybe for those of you who never heard me speak in Tagalog, you’ll hear snippets of me speaking in my native language. There’s an archived version of the interview, available in MP3 or Real Player.
The second part, one about profiling me as a woman in the IT industry, aired yesterday (15th March) on 97.7FM here in Oz. Kristyn kindly emailed me last night but I only got to catch the online record of the show. It’s no longer available. And, I’m not sure if they’ll also post an archived version of it. If they do, I’ll let you know in case you’re interested.
* It was Kristyn Maslog-Levis, a Filipina journalist living in Sydney, Australia. She also happens to be a very talented photographer.
Just had a chat with a journalist from SBS Radio - Filipino (Australia) earlier today. It was an interesting and pleasant interview. A few things I liked about it:
1) The journalist made several attempts to make sure I was ready for the interview. First, she emailed me a few times and asked for a contact number. Then, she called me at least a week in advance to set an interview time. Then, before the interview schedule, she called again to confirm. On top of all these, she briefed me with the types of questions she was going to ask before she started recording.
2) While the interview will be aired on radio, it was pre-recorded. And, due to be edited. Yay.
3) She gave me a two-part interview, which will air on separate times. The first one was mostly on my profile as someone who works in the IT industry. Well, particularly, a Filipina-Australian woman in technology. The next part was mostly advice stuff about getting in to online business.
4) She asked me quite an interesting question that almost stumped me. Will have to see if it makes it to the final show.
5) The interviewer was friendly and polite. Really nice.
Anyway, I’m not sure when the shows will air. But, she told me that there should be something available online. So, hopefully, I’ll be able to share the links here.
Apparently, I’ve been featured at Business World (Philippines) in the 22-23 September 2006 issue (Earning Money through Blogs by Anne Nerissa Alina).
Unfortunately, I didn’t know about the article (only found out through my sis, via Yugatech), so I don’t even know what’s in the feature. And, I certainly don’t have a copy. So, if you’re a kind soul who can send me a copy (even a scanned one would do!), I’d be really grateful.
And, since it’s all about making money from blogs, a few other probloggers were mentioned, including Yugatech (Abe) himself, b5 blogger Ruth Schaffer, and my b5 business partner Darren Rowse.
Oh, and I just found out that my reviews at About Web Logs had been “rated” by Consumer Search. Based on credibility (when it comes to reviewing Web Design Software), my rating is #6 & #7. Just after Smart Computing, CNET.com, MacWorld, PC Magazine, and Top 10 Reviews. Not bad.
UPDATE (27/9/06): Thanks to Abe & Connie, I managed to read the article online (BusinessWorld article). However, the site seems to keep going up and down. 
Anyway, I found out that the writer basically just referred to me as a “blogging expert” and used my work at About.com (Web Logs) as a reference. In any case, it was mostly good. Well, except Darren’s Australia-based like I am, not U.S.-based.
As a young writer, I’ve dreamt a lot about seeing my name in print on Reader’s Digest. Sounds like a silly fantasy, I know. But, now at 32, I’m happy to see this little dream come true. Well, it’s not quite how I imagined it to be. But, it’s almost just as good as my childhood fantasies.
Yes, even before The Sydney Morning Herald and The Advertiser, there was the Australian Reader’s Digest.
Last February 2006, I received an email for an interview request from Louise Waterson. She wanted to talk to me about making money from weblogs. I obliged. Then, there were a flurry of emails and even a phone call with an editor from RD.
Today, I received a copy of the Diamond Anniversary Special of the Australian Reader’s Digest (July 2006 issue) by post. Just like the ARD staff promised. In my book, this earns ARD extra brownie points, as I’ve encountered some journalists who would not do this for their sources. Yes, even if they promised to do so.
Anyway, the interview is now in the form of an article, “Your hobby + a computer = extra money” by Louise Waterson. It profiles various individuals who turned their hobbies and passions in to money-making businesses online. It’s a nice story, so I hope you get the chance to read it (even if you skip the bit about me ;-)).
On the bit about blogging for dollars — The focus is primarily on my writing blog, eWriteLife.com. It’s probably my first ever blog-for-profit venture. The story of AboutWeblogs.com and b5media.com were also mentioned. But, as I pointed out over at b5, we’ve now grown from 50+ bloggers to 70+ bloggers since the interview. The topic coverage of the network also grew.
In any case, if you got to this blog after you read the Reader’s Digest article, I’d like to say hello and welcome. Thanks for taking the time to visit. Do say hello by leaving a comment or sending an email. And, I hope that this won’t be your last visit here.
If you want to learn more about blogging, please check out my blog site at About.com on Web Logs. I have several resources there for beginners to the world of blogging. Also, I’m in the process of re-launching my blog on making money online. So, if you’re interested in that topic, do stay tuned for updates.
| Australia Buzz, Blogging & Bloggers, Personal Stories, Press Mentions | 15 Comments
The words — FAMOUS. POWERFUL. CHIEF. WELL-KNOWN. INFLUENTIAL. MOVER AND SHAKER. — aren’t exactly words that I’d use to describe myself. Yet, these words almost glared at me today as I read the article featuring myself in Adelaide’s main newspaper, “The Advertiser”. Maybe it’s a good thing that it’s buried somewhere on page 52, so…
In any case, here’s the obligatory snapshot of the piece:
If you got here through this article - thank you so much for taking time to visit. I really appreciate it. I hope that you find something of value around here somewhere. If you get the chance, please say hello. I’d love to hear from you.
If you’re interested to know how this thing came about, well, about 3 weeks ago, an article on online businesses came out at the Sydney Morning Herald. b5media, the blogging network that I’m running with 3 other guys was mentioned in the said piece. And, there was a reference to me being an Adelaide-based blogger who’s part of this “10 Most Powerful Women in Blogging” list (see related blog post). Hence, that caught the eye of some folks at The Advertiser.
That’s when I received an email and an invitation for a coffee chat about the world of web logs. And, truth be told, when a photographer came in the middle of my talk with ‘Tiser writer/columnist Samela Harris, I was actually taken aback. You see, I was only expecting a small blurb on the newspaper, somewhere in business, IT, or some other section - NOT a full feature on me and blogging. So, I didn’t think a photo of me would be needed.
You see, blogging isn’t a real big thing here in this neck of the woods. And, the few who may have heard the word ‘blog’ mostly think that it’s just a personal journal or diary. Most certainly do not think of blogs as a way to promote a cause, to provide a platform, and/or to create a proper money-making business.
So, when Samela (The ‘Tiser’s Resident Cyberspace Expert) received the go signal to do an article about a blogger and blogging, she told me how pleased she was about it. And, I am too. Not just because I’m getting some taste of “fame” in my home city. I’m mostly pleased because I’m all for increasing the profile of bloggers and weblogs in general. You see, while mainstream media in the U.S. and other parts of the world have really started paying a lot of attention to blogs and bloggers, Austalia still has a lot of catching up to do on this front.
Anyway, as I said, the interview and impromptu photo shoot was done about 3 weeks ago. I was told that the piece was meant to come out 1-2 weeks back. When it didn’t get published then, I thought the article may have already been axed by the eds. I know this happens in the world of publishing, so I was okay with that. I was just happy to have gone through the interview, as it was a real pleasurable experience. It was great meeting Samela and getting to know her. I’ve known OF her since I moved here 3 years ago (she even wrote about FreshWave.TV on her column), so it was good to get the chance to talk.
But, just when I was actually putting the interview/article out of my mind, just before lunch time today, my husband received a call at home from a friend who was sending his congratulations on my “half page spread on the newspaper.” Since we didn’t have the paper just yet, and I was on my way to an appointment with my hairdresser then, I couldn’t check it immediately.
After dropping me off at the beautician’s, my husband bought the paper and looked for the article while he was having coffee and taking care of our son. Apparently, my two-year-old saw my picture and started shouting and pointing, “Mummy! Mummy!” A lady at the cafe was trying to interact with my boy very kindly then. So, she asked him, “Oh. You think that’s your mummy? Does that lady look like your mummy?” My husband, who probably couldn’t contain his pride, answered: “Actually, that is his mummy.” The nice lady was probably understandably put off by my beaming husband. Haha. Of course, hubs didn’t really mean to sound so snooty. But I guess, being British, he just can’t help himself. He did admit to me later on that he wished he didn’t say anything. 
Ah, well. There’s my day in the limelight.
Tomorrow, I’ll be back to being boring ol’ me. Just blogging away quietly in my little home office in a suburb just outside Adelaide on some days. Or, being a wife, a mum, an employee, a friend, a colleague, a therapist/counsellor… Definitely none of that power and fame stuff. And, the only moving and shaking I’d do is if I ever get to haul myself to a Salsa dance class or club one of these days. Heh.
UPDATE: Unfortunately, “The Advertiser” doesn’t seem to have an online version of the article. If you’re interested in reading it, here’s a bigger JPG scan of the newspaper article.
‘Just found out that b5media (the blogging network I run with 3 fab guys) — has been featured in today’s issue of The Sydney Morning Herald. The article, Online buying frenzy as big business swoops on sites by Tom Burton looks at web entrepreneurship/new media. The author listed some successful “digital deals” where sites and networks get acquired by big businesses for millions/billions of dollars. But no, b5media isn’t really in that category (yet!). It IS nice to get a mention in a major Australian press, though, seeing as there’s very little attention being given to blogs and bloggers here in Australia.
As mentioned in the piece, b5media is owned by 3 Aussies: Darren (in Melbourne), Duncan (in WA) and myself (in Adelaide). Jeremy, b5’s president, is our token North American (Canada). And yes, even though we’re doing business together - and we’ve been talking to each other regularly the past few months - we’ve never met in person yet. But, we’re all hoping to change that some time soon.
Anyway, check this link to see Darren holding the print version of the newspaper article. He also mentioned that there might be possible TV coverage that would come shortly regarding this story. So, we’ll see.
UPDATE (13 Mar 06): The article can now also be read at Melbourne’s The Age (Lookie Here!).
Hi, I'm Shai Coggins, a professional blogger, published author, artist, geeky gadget girl, mum, and wife, with a Masters' degree in Applied Psychology. As you can see, I'm a big fan of living a full and passionate life.
I'm co-founder and Vice President of Community over at b5media.com, a global media network based in Toronto, Canada. Originally from Manila, I now reside in Adelaide, Australia.
If you want a bit more background, just read more about me...
Or, better yet, why don't you tell me about you?
AJAXed with AWP
Stumble This!
Recent Comments