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By Edgar R. Rodillon, Philippines
Sometime ago, there was this handful of scattered souls, with energies exuding and ideas overflowing. Geographically separated but emotionally, spiritually and socially attached with one another, this handful of "yamuhats" (whatever that means, let's just say naughty people with nothing to do at all), found their way into the Internet.  They were exchanging jokes, horse sense, rambling thoughts, anecdotes, tales of common interest, of people, of events, their naughty past, their noble dreams and plans for those of their kind and for their hometown. Others got wind of what was going on and the "cyberdinampurat" ("dinampurat" may mean nonsensical conversation or could be daydreaming) phenomena was born and spread like wildfire. In a couple of months about 50 cyber addresses were hurling mails of assorted topics all across the globe through the net. So, how did "Bulalakaw" get into the picture?
Scanning the megabytes of "sibids" or emails choking my inbox for every day that God created, I saw patterns, intents and documentary materials. They were interlaced with the "lango-lango" or jokes of the "kyapnets", as the group members started to call themselves. ("Kyapnets" is from the word Internet but literally means Bats.) (I leave the details of the origins of the "kyapnets" and the "cyberdinampurat" to more deserving writers who have been there from the start). I just thought then, there is a potential that can be harnessed, and the literary materials that can be organized out of all the fillings. A newsletter can be used to introduce ideas and cooperative plans that the group can do for Pandan. The potential is there, needing to be tapped. To complete the formula, there's this little brown girl from Baybay who seemed to have grown
pre-occupied to churning out wads of web pages for each iota of thought that crosses her mind. Perfect! A little push and we're in business! So? There I went - wrote a little seemingly innocent comment cum suggestion: "Sofie, what if you could author an Internet newsletter for our group?
(That was the idea. I wanted a newsletter but was either too lazy or too busy to start one. Somebody has to be nudged to do it.) This chap and that bloke over there could contribute articles and features for your material. It can be on a bimonthly issue so as not to be so demanding, etc. etc. What do you think?"
WHAM! My gulay! Before I could blink my eyes there was a format of a newsletter already on the net! Unbelievable enthusiasm! Ms. Hofmann decided to call it BULALAKAW, very fitting indeed! And then DR Aniniput went on to justify even more aptly the newsletter title (that part needs to be quoted in the newsletter. Day Rose, you need to write about that again). Well then, the rest is history. As expected, projects were born, people were mobilized. News material abounds and writers are pen-happy. The "kyapnets"? They will be heard wide and far. Hurray for "Pandananons" on the net!
- You read it first from BULALAKAW! |
