Little Miss Honey

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IF BLOGGING IS DEAD, WHY DO I STILL BLOG?

July 5, 2021 by Little Miss Honey

little miss honey blogging journey

Social media landscape is very different nowadays. The focus is more on video-drive platform. People hardly read blogs these days because Youtube videos and podcasts are the preferred way to get content. Many of my blogging heroes – Bianca Gonzales (her last post was in 2017), Patty Laurel and Cat Juan (her last post was on Sept 2019). Most of them have shifted to creating content in Youtube and Instagram.

Why do I continue blogging when no one is reading blogs anymore?

In my blog post: My Blogging Journey in Restropect, I wrote:

I see clearly now that my blog is my outlet and my source of inspiration. I will accept blog projects that only aligns to my blog vision. I will blog meaningfully and intuitively. I will blog for my own pleasure and not to gain popularity. Going viral is far from my blog objective. I just blog out of pure indulgence as a writer, a lover of beautifully woven words.

little miss honey blogging journey

I blog out of my sheer love to write. I will blog even if no one will read it. If you enjoy reading my blog posts, you are welcome to stay and browse around. I now know that my direction of my blogging journey is towards sharing of my experiences as an expat, a woman exploring life’s surprises. I am in an adventure in life, living in a foreign country, with  my husband and three sons. And who knows where life would lead me and my family in days to come. Now after our adventure in Singapore, we have embark in yet another adventure here in Oman. I been sharing our life here for two years now. I also love to write on wellness, mental health, productivity and self-improvement. Stick around, if you want to read more on these things. I may restart my Expat Diaries Series where I interview expat around the world of their expat lifestyle.

I have also been active in Instagram lately. You can follow me at https://www.instagram.com/littlemisshoney/. I have completely abandoned Twitter and I put Facebook in the back burner. I been experimenting with Instagram reels recently and it seems like fun. It is very much like Tiktok but in Instagram.

Will I ever start a Youtube Channel?

In the Technology Adoption Life Cycle, I am often the Late Majority or even the Laggards when it comes to new concept. I am never the Innovators or the Early Adopters.

Credit

Sharing my thoughts and interests on the blog is already unnerving, how much if it is in video form. I will be so conscious of my mannerisms and the idea of video editing is giving me already a headache. But we will see….

Maybe on 2022? Let me know if I should start a Youtube Channnel or not….

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Blog, blogger, blogging, expat blogger, Instagram, instagram reels, Youtube

MOMMY GUILT

April 10, 2018 by Little Miss Honey 974 Comments

Mommy Guilt

I am a full-time working mom and a part-time blogger so I would chase time like crazy. Time is a precious commodity and seems to slip through my hands so fast like a moist sand on the beach. I try to catch the 6:30AM bus before the sun rises in Singapore to reach the MRT statio. then ride again another bus to go to work. My little ones are still in dreamland when I would leave, not feeling the soft peck on the cheeks that I would leave them before I head to work. Then by 5:30PM to 6:00PM, I would try to rush home and start my usual commute back home: bus-MRT-bus. I live far from my workplace. My travel time is 1 hr and 30 minutes minimum back and forth. So most often than not, I would reach home with the sky dark and sad at around 7:30PM or 8:00PM. If I am held back at work for deadlines and meeting, I can go home really really late. And I would see my boys curled up in our bed sleeping soundly, too tired & too sleepy from waiting up for their mom.

I know that I need to work hard to provide for my family with the help of my husband’s income and I supplement it with my little earning from blogging and freelance writing assignments. So work is necessary but I couldn’t help feel guilty that I have so little time for my kids on the weekdays.

Mommy Guilt

I am glad that I have my Saturdays and Sundays for them. I try my best to make up for the lost time from my busy weekdays. But sometimes my mommy guilt would creep up to me when I snap at them especially on a Sunday when I am without a nanny and I have to do all the household chores with my protruding pregnant belly while they would throw toddler tantrums or make start their MMA fights, making me their tired referee. I am an exhausted mom for working like a mad woman from Monday to Friday and I feel bad that the crazy tired working woman goes home with low energy, extreme physical exhaustion, mind full of anxieties & worries and occasional snaps & loses patience to her young kids who needs a healthy, cheerful, present mom to attend to their needs.

I want to be the best mom that I can be for my kids like any moms. With all the supermoms in social media who can produce abundant breast milks, create educational activities and make creative bento lunches for their kids, most ordinary moms like me, who would allow gadgets to watch during meal time in restaurant so they will sit still or shove sugar snacks into my kid mouth, would flush in shame and guilt and dim in comparison. Parenting world especially the motherhood club has becoming more competitive and judgmental in this era of Facebook & Instagram.

People would make insensitive comments about your kids’ behavior and give unsolicited advices on how to raise kids. But the funny part is that those who often give out these comments are unmarried adults who never has kids. I wish to tell them: “Wait ’til you have one. We are often the best parents in our mind until we became parents ourselves.”

Digital Distraction and Mommy Blogger Guilt

From: Unveiled Wife

There was a time when I deleted all my social media accounts. That time I only have two, Friendster (remember this?) and Facebook. But I activated my Facebook again on 2010 after my US trip because my galpals said it is the best way we can share photos of each other and keep in touch. And I never looked back. I enjoyed social media, adding in Twitter (which I recently privated), Pinterest and Instagram. But I have deleted my Snapchat, Foursquare, and Tumblr already. Pretty much, social media has been part of my life and I assumed a greater percentage of people have been accustomed to have it as part of theirs too.

I also have started blogging since 2009 out of love for writing and nothing more. I started being consistent in writing entries when I was encouraged by my fiancé’ that time to keep writing and by 2013, I really got serious with it and eventually, attracted sponsorship and collaboration which allowed me to earn a little from it.

But as the blog collaborations grew, so did the deadlines, more blog event invites, more time consumed to finishing blog posts & taking good photos for sponsored posts. I love the blessings, opportunities, creating good content and all the perks but it was overwhelming and it also means a portion of my time for my kids will be spent on going to blog events, writing and taking photos.

To keep my (modest) influence as a blogger relevant as my partnership with companies & brands and more contracts of agreements multiplied, I need to keep my social media engagement in tip-top game. I am not really good at it as my contemporaries but I have to try my best as not to disappoint the brands who signed me on for collaboration. It would require me to be glued to my phone almost every hour especially during the time when Instagram algorithm changed and we need to increase our Instagram engagement by doing load of comments to same niche influencers, do a like-for-like exchange, participate in Instagram pods and other techniques to beat the algorithm and increase followers & engagement.

Then I realised why am I try to engaged unknown people who give half-hearted & not-sure-if-sincere comments and robbing my loved-ones of my precious time who deserved it more. There was a time after I given birth to my first-born that I realised maybe I can never blog again. But somehow I managed to create a schedule for me to blog while he takes a nap after I get back from work in the clinic. But soon, our family was growing and so were my blogging commitments. I managed to work around that by doing mobile blogging on my daily commute back & forth to work. But still sometimes, I have to do quick adjustment and proofreading on my laptop at home before publishing.

One weekends, I need to take sponsored product photos at home in the mornings to get the natural light. One time, I was trying to take photos, doing my flatlay styling of the products while my two kids are getting my attention, making noises, whining and crying. Then I stopped and look at my eldest, “What do you want, Naj?” Our helper who has been with us for almost 3 years and is an onlooker of the commotion, said, “He wants you, Mommy.” And right then and there, my heart broke into thousand pieces. From then on, I became more selective with the collaborations and blog invites that I take.

I stopped trying to exhaust myself in being active in social media all the time to keep up with my blogging contemporaries and practices slow blogging, pushing out articles at on my own pace. I would leave my phone in my bag when I get home and give my kids my undivided attention. I started to know my priorities & what is essential and put in perspective, who & what deserves my time. My kids needs me to be with them, undistracted and present.

The Reality

Motherhood is indeed the hardest job in the world. We learn as we go along. The deceptive world of Facebook & Instagram has created an irrational demand for perfection to mothers. We just need to inhale and exhale, do the best we can, try another day to be better, stop comparing ourselves to the supermoms of social media and just love our kids unconditionally. We may never shake that mommy guilt off totally but we can try not being too hard on ourselves and just love our kids the best way we know how…..

Filed Under: Motherhood Tagged With: blogger, children, kids, mommy diaries, social media, unveiled wife

EXPAT DIARIES: AMBER, AMERICAN BLOGGER IN THE PHILIPPINES

September 19, 2017 by Little Miss Honey 4,080 Comments

Expat in Manila

(Wikipedia) ‘An Expatriate (often shortened to Expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than that of their citizenship. The word comes from the Latin terms ex (“out of”) and patria (“country, fatherland”).

This blog aims to discover people who are Expats or I would often call it, adventurers like me, venturing out in a new place to call home and creating memories. I have previously lived with my parents and siblings in the Saudi Arabia when I was in high school. I have enjoyed and cherished my memories the beautiful Sandbox I once called my home. Now, I am in a new adventure with my husband and two sons living here in Singapore.

I am featuring expats in different countries  to share their experiences and adventures with you and me. I love listening to thier unique adventures.

I am excited to introduced our featured expat for this month. Meet Amber Folkman, an American blogger of AMommabroad, who is having more fun in the Philippines with her family. Let’s get to know more about her.

___________________________________

 1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and where you are originally from?

Hello! I am Amber Folkman and I am an expat from Seattle living in Manila. I grew up in California but we lived in Seattle for a number of years before making the jump to the Philippines.

Expat in ManilaPhoto Credit: www.instagram.com/amommabroad

2. What made you move to Philippines? How long have you been there?

My husband Jake had traveled to Manila for work and pitched the idea to his boss to just move us there instead of all the traveling. They went for it and we have lived here since 2009, with a short stint back in Seattle for my husband to attend graduate school.

3. What do you miss about your home country?

That is actually a difficult question for me to answer. I miss my family but to be honest, I only ever saw my siblings and cousins once a year to begin with which is the same now. I miss the family time for my kids to be with their cousins and aunts and uncles. We actually have never had that to begin with so I am not sure if miss is the right word but a ‘longing for’ for those interactions. I miss Trader Joe’s quite a bit.

4. What are the wonderful discoveries and things you like about in the Philippines?

Oh my gulay, where do I begin? I love the markets for handicrafts and palengkes. I love the access to nature, take your pick of the mountains or the beach or a few hours away. I am now a kakanin addict. I cannot get enough kakanin. Suman, espasol, pinipig, karioka- you name it, I love it. Most of all, I love the people. Their smiles reflect the endless summer felt here, another plus. I love their friendliness and cheer.

5.  I love your humor! Hahaha! Oh my gulay! You will fit right in with Filipinos. What are the 3 tips you can give to fellow expats in Manila or those you planning to move there?

Expectations. Expect traffic. Expect certain groceries to be expensive. Expect harsh smells. Expect a few blunders in terms of culture.

Eat the food! Find a friend who knows your palette and try everything you can. A Filipino menu can be intimidating but as soon as you find a foundation for certain sauces or dishes you can expand.

Make friends with lokal Filipinos. This is your bridge to longevity and happiness in the Philippines. Once you make friends the language will come, the food becomes familiar, you learn the culture and they know where all the good stuff.

6. The LITTLE MISS HONEY community gets inspired through travel, food and books. Can you tell us your current FAVORITE TRAVEL SPOT, current FAVORITE FOOD/RESTAURANT DISCOVERIES & current FAVORITE BOOK?

My favorite travel spot is definitely Punta Fuego. We go down there once a month. It’s easy because of the drive and we cook a lot of our meals in our rental. Since it is a private community there aren’t a lot of people. You have access to a great beach, great pools and the 2.5 hour drive cannot be beat.

My favorite restaurant of the moment is SOUV, a new greek restaurant by Chef Robby Goco who also runs Cyma. Their frozen greek yogurt is to die for!

I recently devoured the Firebird Series by Claudia Gray. I also highly recommend her book Lost Stars if you also love youth romance and are a nerd, it is set in the Star Wars realm!

7. Where do you get your inspirations? Who or what inspires you?

Color inspires me. I am drawn to simple bold backgrounds and lots of pops of bright color. I went crazy in Batanes over Pacita Abad’s art work.

I really love textiles as well. They are tangible color but tell a story and serve a purpose. I have a particular affection for the Inabel weave. I almost can’t pass one up.

8. Share with my readers more about your blog. What is it about?

I blog about life in Manila and looking for the positive. I have an umbrella of topics but most of my favorites have to do with family focused activities. I love sharing about nature and where to go to feel connected to the earth or arts.

9. What are your 3 favorite Filipino dishes?

As I mentioned earlier, I am a kakanin addict although it is not a dish.

– Merienda with tsokolate tablea, ginger tea paired with pandesal, kesong puti or suman

– Sinigang na Hipo

– Adobo Kang Kong also.

11. Where are your recommended travel spots and places to hang-out  in the Philippines with your family and friends?

I love our access to museums! There are so many museums, not just in Manila. I am partial to Pinto Art Museum, the National Museums and Quezon City Experience. I love the mountains of Antipolo. I recently ventured to Masungi Georeserve and couldn’t believe the unreal beauty. That place is a treasure. Rizal has so much to offer and is so close! I also love anywhere near UP Las Banos. The Makiling Gardens are a sight to behold and don’t miss the dairy on campus. Just a short ways away is San Pablo which again, is another treasure trove. Lake Pandin, Cafe Lago, the 7 lakes, so much to explore!

12. I am sure you know a lot of Tagalog words and phrases by now. Can you give us one Tagalog sentence for my Filipino and non-Filipino followers to read?

Mahal ko ang Pilipinas! Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas!

Hay naku si children!

13.  I think you are adorably cute, haha! Lastly, can you share with what is your inspirational mantra in life?

It changes but lately this part of my journey has been to focus on the good and find the everyday magic.

—————–

Thank you Amber to showering a ray of sunshine with your positive outlook in life and finding joys in everything you see. I wish you more fun and adventure in the Philippines.

For more of Amber, check out her blog: Amommabroad.com and follow her instagram: Amommabroad.

If you are an expat or know any expats who are interested to be featured, drop me a line at littlemisshoneyblog@gmail.com.”

Filed Under: Expat Diaries Tagged With: American, Amommabroad, blogger, bloggerph, expat; manila, featured blogger, philippines

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Hi I'm Honey! I am a Filipina who has studied & lived in Saudi Arabia for a few years, worked in Singapore and is currently based in Oman with my husband & our three little boys. I am a medical doctor, a lifestyle blogger, travel junkie, a foodie and a bookworm. I hope I can drizzle a bit of sunshine and inspirations whenever you drop by my blog. Thanks for dropping by! See ya soon.. :)
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