Others

Back to the Basics

As many of you know, what got me into blogging was my muse & inspiration Ms. T. Her candidness & anything-under-the-sun topic of conversation (or rather monologue) injected with wit & humor got me started on my blog more than 3 years ago. More than her bags, more than her fashion style, more than her endless shopping and finds, it was her daily musings about her family & life in general that got me addicted to her blog. Ang sarap lang kasi maki-chismis sa buhay ng may buhay diba. Especially if the person & her life is very interesting. Heck even her household helpers were interesting.

blogger_02

This photo belongs to Tina.

At first, it was just my kids who were reading my blog posts. Then little by little, other people started reading my entries too until I got a bit known & sponsors paid attention to me. Pride for my accomplishment over what was in my heart won, and for a time, I got lost somewhere. I wasn’t blogging for myself but for others. I got consumed by the biz.

I started restructuring my blog. From the WordPress platform I self-hosted. I changed my theme, my lay-out to make it more professional-looking. Yung pocket camera ko naging de– zoom lense na kahit hindi naman ako marunong kumuha! 😛 #nagpapanggap Nagka-calling card na ako!

For short, my blog became commercialized.

Try as I might, I couldn’t find myself. I read & back read my entries & I was blinded to my changes. Even my girls were telling me that my blogging style became different, it became commercialized. And for a while, I refused to believe them.

IMG_2139

Hello Rhea! 🙂 Thank you for holding on. I cannot promise that I can be the same Jane you once knew & loved but I will most certainly try. :-*

People evolve. Even my muse who used to just write personal stuff before has gone on to more commercial stuff, enterprising materials & entries filled with 99% OOTDs/Makeup haul and 1% content. And so I justified myself. I assured myself that people change. Bloggers evolve.

Then lately I got to reading another blogger whose entries are so raw & candid. It’s as if she was talking to ME. Telling ME her life, her story. The first in a long time that I got hooked again by a blogger. And I remembered my muse. And I remembered the old me. And I missed that kind of blogging. The unprofessional kind where pictures were unedited, the posts short & simple, but the content got my readers engaged.

blogger_01

This photo belongs to Annie.

I remember those days, when all I used was my phone camera & I captured anything & everything that was part of my day as I shared them with you. Some readers have stayed, some have left. I thank the ones who have stayed. I’m hoping the one who left would come back. I’m hoping I’d come back. I miss the old me -back when I too was a fan & rankings and ratings didn’t matter. When I didn’t feel so entitled & self-important.

For now I’m slowing regaining my old writing style, backtracking my steps. Recognition sometimes gets to one’s head, and I’m not exempted with what very little I got. I’ll still do commercial posts because when opportunities come knocking, you open your door. It’s crazy not to. But I’ll also try to do more personal ones reflecting the person that I am which has endeared my blog to you.

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been doing some personal blogging -posts which are ready & scheduled to be published in the days to come. Although ang hirap pala, because I need my phone ready & steady for capturing photos of whatever kaganapan is in my day. Parang hindi na ako sanay. Even the kids are surprised when I whip out my phone cam all of a sudden & take photos of snippets of my day. Hindi na rin sila sanay ng anything under the sun topic. But they are fully supportive of my “comeback”. 😛

jane_go_sugargospice

This photo belongs to Jane. (Yes, I dare haha!)

This is me, and I’m here to stay. <3 Thank you for bearing with me.

Previous Post Next Post

You may also like

56 Comments

  • Reply Kei Aclaro

    Ms. Jane, whatever you write I am one of those who will be here to stay because honestly, even if you write a lot of sponsored posts, the bubby and honest Ms. Jane still shows naman sa mga posts na yun. It is not all “You have to try it or support it”. So, I still applaud you for that. Kasi being a loyal reader and “friend”, you have to support the person no matter what she does in life. But I am still happy that you will make your “comeback”!

    Anyway, have a blessed Sunday, Ms. Jane!

    May 31, 2015 at 8:10 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      I love you dearly Kei. You are not only a reader, you have become a friend to me and your love & support, your comments, they mean a lot to me. :-*

      May 31, 2015 at 8:13 am
  • Reply marge

    Hi ms jane, i used to be an avid reader of your blog but i sort of stopped following you kse your posts, post rin ng ibang bloggers. Tama ka, nawala yung dating feel ng blog mo. But i do check your blog para tignan kung may “bago”. Ayoko naman po magcomment bec baka nag-iisa lang naman akong nakapansin. Welcome back, ms jane.

    May 31, 2015 at 8:10 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Thank you for your candidness marge. 🙂 And thank you for visiting occasionally.

      May 31, 2015 at 8:12 am
  • Reply sunshine

    Im so glad to read this. I am among those who made those same observations. Your reply had been civil but a bit defensive. Truth be told, though i still check your blog daily. But I only read it when the posts arent sponsored. It cannot be denied that no matter how you try to be objective, sponsored posts are always clouded by the need to reciprocate your hosts’ generosity, as you succinctly put it.

    Welcome back Ms. Jane.

    May 31, 2015 at 8:15 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Thank you Sunshine! 🙂 I hope my life is interesting enough for sharing haha.

      May 31, 2015 at 8:30 am
  • Reply Maricel Hipol

    Yahooo! More exciting days every 8:00 AM! Make us laugh, cry, think, remember, pause……please Ms. Jane.
    We love you! and THANK YOU!

    May 31, 2015 at 8:24 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Thank you Maricel for sticking around. I know I have disappointed you but I hope to rectify that immediately. Mwah! :-* Hi to everyone over at Bayleaf! <3

      May 31, 2015 at 8:29 am
      • Reply Maricel Hipol

        You did not disappoint po, not at all. We just miss YOU! Bayleaf is just here anytime you want to drop by 🙂

        May 31, 2015 at 8:55 am
        • Reply sugargospice

          Love you Maricel mwah mwah!! :-* I will make time to see you guys one day soon! <3

          May 31, 2015 at 8:59 am
  • Reply Chel Pablo

    Hi Miss Jane,

    The “kwentuhan” style was what drew me to your blog. In a sea of commercialised blogs, yours was absolutely refreshing.

    I never stopped reading you, even your sponsored posts I still read kaya lang mahirap mag comment dun unlike sa kwento posts. But I should say, I like your bubbly, “daldalera” style more. Especially your Lelly posts!

    May 31, 2015 at 8:40 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Hi Chel! 🙂 You are one of my readers whom I have considered as friends. Thank you for making paramdam every now & then -I really appreciate. I have a Lelly post scheduled to come out. Nag-mall ang dalagita haha. I will try to have more Lelly posts in the weeks to come. Mwah! :-*

      May 31, 2015 at 8:43 am
      • Reply Chel Pablo

        Alam mo, I don’t like dogs usually pero kasi si Lelly nakakatawa siya. Tapos mukha siyang pig! Tapos kung umasta, feelingera, parang siya reyna sa bahay nyo! 😛 Sorry ambabaw ko. 😛

        But yeah, your blog is a taste of home. Nagugulat nga iba sa kin bakit updated ako sa mga bagong restaurants dyan, mas pa kesa sa kanila na nandyan, sabi ko dahil sa blog mo. 😛

        Hope to meet you someday! And I’m honoured to be one of your reader friends! Touched ako! :*

        May 31, 2015 at 8:53 am
        • Reply sugargospice

          Hahaha omg you have described Lelly perfectly Chel! ;)) Kuha ka na ng pot-bellied pig -uso jan as pet diba? The kids have been hankering for me to buy one sabi ko hindi pwede ang pig no matter how cute sa residential subdivision (kunwari). Hindi talaga pwede, baka kainin ko HAHAHAHAHA!

          May 31, 2015 at 8:56 am
  • Reply Joty

    Yerhey! 🙂 still a follower..masaya rin naman yung mga sponsored posts , but nothing compares to the heart ng mga posts mo Ms.Jane about the family’s ganap 🙂 and naghihintay pa rin ako nang guest blog ni kap. 🙂 excited for coming posts.. 🙂

    May 31, 2015 at 10:15 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      hahaha sige I will surprise you with Kap’s guesting. Thank you for the love super appreciate you! :-*

      May 31, 2015 at 10:25 am
  • Reply ellen Vista

    i miss you jane…… :-)…….. missing our eat out with the kids 🙂

    May 31, 2015 at 10:35 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Miss you too Ellen! May 31, 2015 at 10:39 am

  • Reply Rhea

    Hi ms. Jane! Like what I’ve been doing at least twice a week, I checked your blog and much to my surprise, I saw my comment a part of your post. I’m glad that my candidness paid off…at first I’m afraid I might sort of offend you. But I felt the need to at least let you know my thoughts. There is nothing wrong with your sponsored posts coz it provide your readers a heads up of where to eat or stay, right balance lang talaga. 🙂

    May 31, 2015 at 11:27 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Again, thank you Rhea. I agree with you wholeheartedly. Mej na-imba ang blogposts ko nawili ako sa food posts. 🙂 I will do my best to find the perfect balance. :-*

      May 31, 2015 at 11:46 am
  • Reply PAt co

    I love reading about you and how much you’re still kilig with Kap. And then you get kilig about Gabby but assure Kap he’s the love of your life! Haha you’re fun and awesome whatever you write. Happy Sunday!

    May 31, 2015 at 12:33 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      You are the sweetest! Thank you so so much Pat! :-*

      May 31, 2015 at 12:34 pm
  • Reply Noel Q.

    It was my sister’s first death anniversary yesterday, and it was almost a year ago when you came all the way from Alabang to condole with us in far-off Pasig, going there at nearly midnight, for a person you hardly know and you’ve never met… because that’s just how you are… that is WHO you are. You are a very good person, you are a very kind person, and if this post is any indication, you are also a very noble person. Whatever your choose to write, I support YOU.

    And I always will.

    More power to your blog, Jane!

    May 31, 2015 at 12:55 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      Awwww I love you always & forever Niel. I will pray in remembrance of your sister. I appreciate your friendship Niel! :-*

      May 31, 2015 at 12:56 pm
  • Reply Bess

    Hi Jane! I’m so glad that you’re back to your simple – nagkukuwento lang – full of humor – family life stories + pasyal. 🙂 Jane, please know, you are a wonderful person and I always enjoy your blog. Thanks! besYS

    May 31, 2015 at 2:54 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      Hi Bes! <3 Thank you so much for your vote of confidence. I really really appreciate your kindness. :-*

      May 31, 2015 at 10:36 pm
  • Reply trisha_cm

    So happy to hear this bit of news from you! You may have noticed I stopped commenting regularly because , as you said, the blog became too commercialized. Looking forward to “old posts”. 🙂

    Hugs to you!

    May 31, 2015 at 5:33 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      Hugs back! :-*

      May 31, 2015 at 8:32 pm
  • Reply ellawella

    awwwww!!♥♥♥ this is heart warming and i’m soo looking forward to making chismis with your very personal posts. Thou it doesn’t really bothered me that you were doing more and more commercial stuffs,i still enjoy reading promise walang palya pa din everyday i’m still that hit ever 6am..i read your blog for brekky nhihih..you gotta do what you gotta do right but sometimes it feels quite impersonal that i get shy to comment cos u knoww..can”t relate hehehe..:p You’re such an inspiration favey..with your wit..the way you love your readers and the mere fact that you consider everythig and everyone around you..that makes your a very rare gem in the huge world wide web. Loveyewwww!!♥ Cheers to more amazing blogging years!:p

    June 1, 2015 at 6:06 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      You are so sweet thank you Ella! I hope everything is looking up great at the workplace mwah! :-*

      June 1, 2015 at 9:20 am
  • Reply Deanne

    Yey! I CAN’T wait to read the posts. Much like many of your other readers, your posts about your everyday life and musings are what drew me to your blog. I still read your blog daily, and I do notice that you make sure to add personal touches even to sponsored posts, but it’s just different if the post is just about you and your family. Heck, I enjoy reading your previous posts so much I think I already back-read your old posts more than twice #stalker haha Anyways, I’m excited about this ‘back to the basics’, but whatever you write I will still read hehe Have an awesome week ahead and God bless you and your family! 🙂

    June 1, 2015 at 8:38 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Thank you for the support Deanne. I know I have some major overhauling to do. I appreciate that you never left & you commented now & then to show your support. Mwah! :-*

      June 1, 2015 at 9:27 am
  • Reply michymichymoo

    Love love love, Mama Bear! Hope I get to see you again soon! 🙂

    June 1, 2015 at 10:52 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Thank you bbbeary! :-* Hugs!

      June 1, 2015 at 11:06 am
  • Reply jackie uy

    I’m one of those waiting for this ‘comeback’ Ms. Jane, yeeeey! 🙂 Few weeks ago, a friend and I were talking about bloggers we love (we adore you!) and we both have the same thoughts about missing your old entries on family life and just any random story that comes from your heart 🙂

    June 1, 2015 at 2:11 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      Thank you Jackie. <3 I will do my best not to disappoint. Getting my feet wet again & finding my inner humor. Hopefully it will show in the coming posts. Mwah! :-*

      June 1, 2015 at 2:16 pm
  • Reply michconstantino

    I miss some of your posts but I love you just the way you are 🙂 Hope to meet you soon!

    June 1, 2015 at 2:45 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      And I love you too Mich you have been one of my best supporters & greatest friend. Thank you!! :-*

      June 1, 2015 at 3:13 pm
      • Reply michconstantino

        I appreciate the effort you pull through your blogs (I can’t find that effort through a beauty queen blog where I have to describe the gown, the effort of the winner naaah)… and this is probably the blog I drawn close to becoming my 8AM habit.

        Love you! :-*

        June 2, 2015 at 4:42 pm
        • Reply sugargospice

          Love YOU Mich! Thank you mwah! :-*

          June 2, 2015 at 5:56 pm
  • Reply med

    Well, I’m also back!!! LOL

    I’ve read the comments above.

    I find the sponsored posts interesting kasi I want to know what’s new plus it’s so detailed (nakalagay price & contact numbers ng place). As I’ve told you before, you made my life easier, hahaha!

    Maybe the difference between me and your other readers is that I know you personally and each sentence I read is like “I can hear your voice” (and laughter) kaya siguro I don’t find it not so personal at all?

    June 1, 2015 at 4:34 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      Welcome back my dear meding inggit na inggit ako sa lahat ng travels mo huhu!! Unfortunately paso na pala passports namin & it is really my fault for not checking ahead. So now si Jena naman ang BTS after Jana finished her term. Super bad trip diba boohoohoo. But! Thank you for sharing all your beautiful photos that at least I get to live vicariously through you. I love you dear friend & thank you for all the support mwah! :-* See you soon I hope!

      June 1, 2015 at 4:38 pm
  • Reply Lou

    What refreshing news!!! Welcome back Ms. J! I started reading your blog way back when it was a more personal blog, and saw how you started to become commercialized. Sad to say, I was one of those who left. I’m glad you’re back and looking forward to reading more of your candid entries!

    June 1, 2015 at 4:45 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      Thank you for revisiting Lou! 🙂

      June 1, 2015 at 5:35 pm
  • Reply sj

    hi miss jane! i felt the same way about your blog and i think rhea wrote exactly what i had in mind. it just felt your once “free-for-all” blog was limited to exclusive few. i kind of stopped reading you when your content was no different from others, no offense meant to the sponsored bloggers. i fully respect their trade. but i really missed how you blogged before, and might even have commented one time how i loved how raw your content was. don’t worry, i think all the successful ones went through the same thing ( bryanboy, chuvaness, ourawesomeplanet, janedchua and the likes).

    thank you for realizing this and i’m really hoping you bring the quirky, unstructured Jane back. you have no idea how your experiences inspire me to be a better mom.

    ps. i miss your posts about jela =)

    June 2, 2015 at 4:01 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Thank you for your candidness SJ & for sharing your thoughts. I understand what you’re saying because that’s also what I look for in a blog. Somewhere along the way I got lost, but now I am back & I’m enjoying the personal blogging I have been keeping under wraps. I already have about a month’s worth which I will publish in the days to come. That’s 5 days a week every 8am. Thank you so much for revisiting my blog! :-*

      June 2, 2015 at 8:28 am
  • Reply Janet

    Hi Ms. Jane,

    Your silent followers ( like me!) will always be here for you! I always enjoy reading your blog,it’s part of my daily habit. Bihira lang ako maka-comment kasi istorbo ang work…..lol

    June 2, 2015 at 2:10 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      Thank you so very much for your vote of confidence in me Janet. Readers like you are what keeps me going. Blogging is not easy, not to mention time consuming. It takes commitment to post continiously & to share something so personal with people I don’t even know. So I really appreciate your love & support. <3

      June 2, 2015 at 3:36 pm
  • Reply Cherryll

    It was two years ago when I discovered two new blogs which are faaaar from what I used to read. Before I knew it, I got hooked and it became part of my daily habit. And yes, recently I kind of miss the “old” Jane. It was hard for me to comment on your sponsored posts. It just felt a little impersonal. I am happy that you are getting the recognition that you so deserve but also feared that you might have changed (feeling close, haha). Reading this now is such a good news. Don’t worry, we, your loyal readers will stay with you, sponsored posts or not. My then-boyfriend now husband actually knows about you. Part na kayo ng kwento ko sa kanya after a whole day of work. Hahaha.

    June 3, 2015 at 10:32 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Wow I am so flattered Cherryll! <3 Thank you for making me a part of your daily read, personal pst or otherwise. Will make a super kaduper conscious effort to write more personal ones. :-*

      June 3, 2015 at 1:57 pm
  • Reply candy

    Woohoo! This got to be one of your posts with a lot of comments. Syempre, I just had to comment as well because i really love you, your blog and your family. Sponsored or not, i never get lost althought i preferred stories about the kiddos,l kap and your daily musings.

    Since your last post on UCClockwork, as alwAys, i check your blog almost everyday but found no new entrison sonce then. Kala ko nga nasa vacay ang Goppets. To my surprise today, saw back entries aince May 29. Lot of catching up to do. Lots of time coz i am confined since Monday at Medical City.

    Love you, Mommy Jane!

    June 4, 2015 at 11:51 am
    • Reply sugargospice

      Oh no! What happened??? Why are you confined? May I visit you? Please email me your room number at sugargospice@gmail.com I will drop by tomorrow & bring you something yummy & sinful (what are you craving for from my part of town) Candy. Hope you get well soon! And thank you for the never-ending love I really really appreciate you! <3

      June 4, 2015 at 11:53 am
  • Reply Rocynderella

    OMG Ms. Jane,welcome BACK! I never stopped reading your blog kahit mej “naiba” ang posts kasi naeentertain mo pa rin ako (i love food ano ba! Hahahaha!) Pero IBA talaga yung” ramdam” ka namin, yung parang chismosang kapitbahay mo kami na alam namin ang mga ganap sa buhay nyo… very raw, personal and kaya feeling close sayo kaming readers mo. Hahahhaah!
    Love,love,love! Sana makita na kita! Papaautograph nga ako dba? Lels!
    Mwah! More power!

    June 6, 2015 at 1:46 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      Thank you so much Rocyn! 🙂 Hindi mawawala ang food posts kasi matakaw ang Goppets haha. Top priority ang eating. Hope to see you soon mwah! :-*

      June 6, 2015 at 2:30 pm
  • Reply Ma. jhoanna Soberano

    i do not know why but I cried with this post.

    June 8, 2015 at 2:13 pm
    • Reply sugargospice

      Awwww meee toooo!! hahaha I guess coz we’re tender-hearted mommies. :-*

      June 8, 2015 at 3:54 pm

    Leave a Reply to sunshine Cancel Reply