The Best of Dusk at Red Island

I can die anytime, any day. But I don't want my ideas, my thoughts, my stories, and the lessons I've learned to die with me. I want to leave them behind because I want to leave a mark of my existence in this world. I want to make a difference, no matter how little that might be. I want to record my life while I can.

Maybe, somebody may learn something from my stories, my experiences. Somebody may be touched. Somebody may relate to it. Somebody may be inspired, and be changed or stay the same. When I die, somebody might take after me, and continue this blog.

Today, I am celebrating this blog's 2nd Anniversary. This is a really special event for me because this blog, "Dusk at Red Island", as I've already mentioned in some of my earlier entries, is already a big part of me.

Over the last year, I've undergone several drastic changes in my life. It was baby's year. I was much happier with him with me, so I was able to shift my concerns to other issues like my family, and my personality. The problems I've had with my sexuality, or my angst angainst society's unfair treatment has been diminished by a slowly dawning acceptance of myself.

Lovewise, this blogyear featured quite a large number of loveydovey entries for my baby. Though I still wrote some entries about Hunter, they diminished towards the last quarter of the blogyear. There were also entries about the short summer "fling" which was Alpha, as well as a couple about Chiyo and even ChieChie, who by-the-by, is now married.

Blog Statistics:

Overall number of entries (including this): 224
Entries for this blog year (including this): 101
Average rate: 8.3 entries a month
Overall number of comments (excluding my own): 354

Entries with most number of comments this blogyear (excluding my own ones):

Please feel free to read these entries by simply clicking on the title.

"Alpha" 13 comments
About how a person who looks like someone else can make it harder for you to forget.

"GF2BF" 7 comments
Hey grandma, this is my new love. He's a guy.

"Exam Blues" 7 comments
A typical UP entry.

"D the Dermatologist" 7 comments
Confidence and vanity.

"Ang Krimen" 7 comments
Having your fone snatched... the third time.

"Sana" 7 comments
When the person you've wanted for the longest time suddenly sits beside you on a jeepney ride.

"Zukkyun: Alpha 2" 7 comments
(Description given below) Mabenta talaga ang alpha entries.

BEST ENTRIES PER MONTH

2006
October: "AloHOMOra!"
My funniest entry to date. For mature readers only though. It's about sexualizing the Harry Potter series. Hehe.

November: "One Click"
One of my favorite love entries of all time. This summarizes everything about what happened between me and Hunter and how everything went to an end with just one click.

December: "A Reason For Religion"
A mind-opening entry about death and religion set on a funeral of a relative I hardly knew.

2007
January: "The Count's Tale Epilogue: An Eye For An Eye"
The epilogue which came six months after the last chapter of my first attempt at a fiction series. I got more praise for this entry after I have printed it and given copies to my friends last month. A fitting end, though tragic.

February: "Paglimot"
Ouch. How bitter and hurt can I get more with this one? Emo to the nth level (but with a cause). I highly recommend this one.

March: "Paano Maglaro ng Frisbee"
About me and my students. Our special relationship symbolized by a frisbee game played in Sunken Garden.

April: "Sundo"
A story about waiting for your loved one, set in a train station and the things you realize in between arrival and departure. One of my better-inspired entries.

May: "Zukkyun: Alpha 2"
About growing up and facing the truth. Learning the hard way that no matter how you make yourself (or others) believe, some things can never come true.

June: "Sa Motel 2: With Love"
An... educational story. No need to say more. And don't ask for Part 1 that's way funnier than this!

July: "Day of Days"
Written while I was drunk, this tells about one of the best days of my life - touching most issues which define who I am today.

August: "Ruins"
There is no place like home. Probably because no single place can describe your family better than your own place. Here's what happened to ours.

September: "Breeze"
A simply-told tale about independence and how it makes you vulnerable. How who you are now is shaped by what has happened to you in the past.

Another year has passed. Another year of getting older, taller in more ways. It's one of the advantages of being a regular blogger/writer - you can really see how much you've grown. You can look back, and compare yourself to who you are right now.

I've been lucky to live this long, and I will continue to value my remaining days by recording my life, be it through my albums or through this blog.

Thank you everyone.