“Good writing focuses on the need of the audience to understand,
 rather than on the desire of the writer to impress.“
-a quote I got from one of my writing-related trainings online

Earlier today, I received a message on my Facebook Messenger from a random stranger. Turns out, this stranger is an architect in the making, and she’s asking about a blog entry I wrote more than five years ago, which she plans to use as a reference for her school requirement (thank you!). This wasn’t the first time someone, more so a stranger, asked me about that blog entry to be used for their research. After all, this blog entry I’m referring to talks about The Philippine Fashion Legend, Mr. Jose “Pitoy” R. Moreno. Read all about it HERE.

I wrote that piece about Pitoy because it was one of the requirements for me to pass my Creative Nonfiction elective, as part of my Master’s Degree program then. I decided to post it publicly on this blog because I knew that the world needs to know more about Mr. Moreno and his role in promoting the Philippines all over the world through his fashion masterpieces. I almost became emotional when I reread that blog entry and realized that it. has. been. awhile. since the last time I produced a material like that.

Reading that piece again was like a slap to my face. Or maybe a wake-up call. Either way, it saddened me to know that I haven’t been practicing the craft anymore. I just stopped a long time ago and chose to let social media addiction fry my brain cells and encourage my laziness more. Heck, I don’t even know how to write this very blog entry anymore. 😦

Then it dawned on me: deep inside, I know that I still love WRITING. I’ve always been better at the written word than the spoken word, and that’s fine with me. But it’s true that even if something is your passion but you don’t hone/practice it, you’ll get rusty at it, or worse, eventually lose it. Yikes!

I don’t want that to happen to me. I know that God has given me this gift to share to the world and not waste it. Even if I have to start from scratch again, let it be. This blog of mine was, is, and will always be a testament to that.

I started this blog in December 2009 and when I opened it today (after not checking it for monthsss), WordPress reminded me that this very day is actually my 6th blog anniversary! What good timing! For six years, I believe I’ve maximized my blogging skills for only a year or two. The rest, I’ve had an on-and-off relationship with this blog. Haha.

This may be my nth time in resurrecting my blog, but like I said, I’ll start from scratch if I have to. Looking back at all my blog entries is like looking at a desk filled with clutter: it’s all messy without a single focus or theme. But hey, this is a personal blog after all. Sure, I try to focus on my favorite things (books, food, and travel) as much as possible, but at the end of the day, this blog will always be as “complicated” as its owner — me, MIKHAELA GEORGETTE. Hence, the new domain name: mikhaelageorgette.com 😀

Yes! After years of semi-blogging, I finally own my domain name! The blog’s title will still be “The Lady is In…” (that’s something I’m not giving up! haha), but this time, I’m hoping I can be a more diligent and responsible blogger who can produce more quality content more often, too. I’m paying for my domain name with the plan of putting it to good use! Ahem!

So yes, writing is my passion. Yes, my articles have been published before in magazines several times (see my portfolio). Yes, I’m actually in the process of writing my first novella (which I started in February of this year but has been in hiatus a month after that ever since!). Yes, I’ve attended writing workshops. Yes, I’ve tried article writing, novel/story writing, and even technical writing. Yes, I have my own “simple” writing style. Yes, I write with the goal to inspire. Yes, I have THIS blog. But do all these make me a “writer”? Hmmm. No, not necessarily.

As Ernest Hemingway once said about writing, “We are all apprentices in a craft where no one becomes a master.” No, I may never be awarded the “best writer” title ever, but I’ll keep writing anyway. Besides, I know in my heart that whenever I write, I always give it my best and it always makes me happy. Now that — that’s something no title can ever top off!

Cheers to writing and to all those who are in love with it! ❤

–Mika of mikhaelageorgette.com (heehee!)